In Death We Trust
by Stratusfied247
Summary: [COMPLETED] New primogens, new human blood... and a war on the horizon that threatens to take down Julian Luna and all who pledge allegience to him. [Xover with an AU WWE]
1. Chapter 1

**_AN: This story is crossed over with an AU version of wrestling. Various wrestlers are portrayed here, however, they are not wrestlers in this story. In this story, they have their wrestling personalities, but they are Kindred in and around the city. Also note, this story has been AU'd a bit on the Kindred side. Mostly, I've changed the circumstances surrounding the death of Eddie Fiori. The explanation will be mostly in this first chapter and carries on to other chapters to round the story out. I loved the 8 episodes of this show that were produced and decided to play with it. I hope all readers enjoy the story._**

"Lillie's life was forfeit the moment she decided to betray Julian."

Morgana Belize rose slowly from her seat around the council's table. Her nails raked lightly across the mahogany tabletop as she moved to the side. The sculpted feet of the antique chair scraped across the floor. Her dark brown hair hung in long curls around her shoulders. A black corset held her breasts in and bulging mounds pushed against the top ridge of lace. Her linen slacks brushed against her legs. She dragged her nails around the table and her heels clicked as she walked.

She stopped behind the prince of San Francisco. Julian Luna sat with his back resting against his chair. He kept his eyes focused on the others around the table, but he rose one hand to cover Morgana's as she rested her hands on his shoulders. Normally a lenient ruler, he had found that his position had to be fortified as his subjects began to take advantage of his kindness. While he hated to call for a Blood Hunt on anyone, he knew that the Masquerade had to be protected at all costs. Those he had judged guilty wanted war, and that would expose them. It could not be allowed to happen.

Archon was gone, but another elder of the Ventrue clan had taken his place as Julian's advisor. Ric Flair lounged in his chair, his eyes sweeping across the room. He had been embraced nearly three hundred years prior and had seen too many clan wars to allow another to happen. Along with Morgana, it was he who had convinced Julian that something had to be done about Lillie.

Daedalus and Cash were all that remained of the former primogens, the former the head of the Nosferatu clan, the latter leading what had become the motorcycle gang of Gangrels. Cash was his bodyguard and enforcer. Daedalus was a friend, lonely in the grotesque world that had been handed to him when he was embraced by the ghastly Nosferatu. His exterior was frightening, but he had a good heart. Both had fallen on Julian's side when the threat of war came upon them.

Leading the Brujah clan was Dave Batista, a large and muscular man with none of the desires for war that had put Eddie Fiori on the Blood Hunt list. His eyes flashed to the side and he gave a low growl at Cash. While they knew they must all work together, no one was under any delusions that Brujah and Gangrel would ever be friends. The clans were too similar in their rebellious and wild nature to be anything more than associates. At the worst of times, they were bitter enemies.

And then, there was Morgana. She had watched Lillie play games with Julian, trying to sway all of his decisions her way. She thought that Julian was an easy one to control. Lillie mistook his kindness for weakness, and she misread Morgana's interest in her plans for camaraderie when she should have looked past the glowing eyes to see where the vampire's loyalties truly lied. When Lillie was gone, Morgana took her throne as the primogen of the Toreador clan, and quickly took Julian's bed, as well.

"As was Eddie's," Dave spoke from his seat across from Julian. "What of it? They're gone. What's the point in bringing it back up now?"

"We have others in our clans who must be shown the error of their ways." Morgana squeezed lightly on Julian's shoulder. "It wasn't just Toreador and Brujah that wanted this war. There were plenty within our ranks who decided that they were better off following Lillie and Eddie than Julian."

Cash stood up and sneered. "There is nothing but faithful within Gangrel! We know what side our bread's buttered on."

"You think so?" Morgana smirked. "The only clan that is pure is Nosferatu, and that's only because they're neutral. We already know that they won't join in unless they're getting something out of it."

Daedalus rolled his head languidly and turned vacant eyes on her. "You speak with distaste, as if this hasn't been the way for centuries. Disgusting to look at, we may be, but inside, we are nothing if not peaceful. We fight when it is necessary to us, and the last time we fought, it was on Julian's side, to keep the peace."

Ric sighed. "No one wants another war, Morgana. So what is it that you have found out so we can stop it?"

"There are at least ten within Brujah that must be cleaned out. Six in Gangrel. Twelve in Ventrue. I have found eight of my own, and I wait only for Julian's approval to dispose of them. I will not have traitors in Toreador. I rid myself of the last one, and I will do it of many more."

"Morgana." Julian squeezed her hand. His chair moved backwards, and it was a sign for her to back up, though she kept her hand on his shoulder. As Julian rose, Morgana's hand slid down his back until it rested around his waist. His arm floated loosely behind her body. He rested his hand on her hip. "No one wants the peace more than me, but killing off our clans is not the way to do that."

"Then what do you propose we do?"

"All Fiori loyalists will burn tomorrow morning unless you see another way," Dave said, sitting up straight.

"Before we kill them," Julian said, "we must see if we can find another way. They are in too many avenues of society to just be destroyed. Too many at once will bring the police to our attention, and Frank can't cover our executions in that large a number."

"He's another problem." Cash grumbled as he slouched in his seat. "How long are we gonna trust this guy? Half the time, we don't even know if he's on our side. What if he decides to go on the warpath for you again, huh?"

"He won't." Julian didn't go on. He didn't try to explain the agreements he had with Frank. It had already been talked about once, and he was not about to have an argument on something he already laid down the law on. "Frank is not the problem. The traitors within the clans are, and they are what we're here to discuss."

"Torture them, then." Morgana saw the bottom line. If they could not be killed, then they had to be put in line. "Let them know that we mean business. Nothing that will keep them long from their daily work in the Masquerade, but something harsh enough to let them know that if they rise against Julian, their lives are forfeit."

The table was quiet except for grunts and groans in agreement with Morgana. Julian looked around to each of them. He patted Morgana's hip lightly, then circled the room with his eyes once more. "Make them understand," he said. His eyes began to glow and a low growl eminated from his throat. "They have been judged guilty, and their punishment will be Blood Hunt if they continue to rebel. Make sure that they understand." His arms dropped to his sides, then rose as he adjusted his tie. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare for my niece."

No one spoke. They stared at Julian in shock. No one would mention Sasha's name out loud, but they had all thought that she was the last of his human relatives. Sasha had died at the hands of Eddie Fiori, his last act of vengeance before the Blood Hunt caught up with him and Dave's enforcer, the empowered Chyna, ripped his throat out then fed his blood to the clans.

Cash cleared his throat and looked up at Julian. "I thought..."

"There is one more," Julian said. "And she will be here soon. Tonight, put your clans in order. Tomorrow, I expect favorable reports."

Julian turned and with those words, walked away. The others waited silently as he left the room. Once he was gone, Morgana groaned. She gripped the back of his chair tightly. "This better be the last one."

"Morgana..." Ric turned to her. "Watch yourself."

She rolled her eyes. "You act like I'll do something to the girl. I just want him to be careful. And bringing another human here who is not planning to be Embraced is not the best way to protect the Masquerade. Julian is letting his heart stand in the way of his reason."

"We don't know what plans he has for this girl," Daedalus said softly. His long, pointed nails raked along the table. "Before you make demands, remember that Julian doesn't tell us everything. He may have learned where Sasha was concerned."

Cash whipped his head around and glared. "You're not saying..."

Daedalus shrugged. "Where Julian and his human relatives are concerned, there is no telling what might happen."


	2. Chapter 2

This was the last one. The last of Julian Luna's human line. The only blood he shared with anyone after this girl was with those he had sired, and already he had ordered the death of one and might have had to do the same for another. When she died, so would end the line that had brought what so many so as weakness within Julian. There would be no more reason for his softness towards humans, because there would be none left for him to care about. The only way it could go on was if she married and had children. That was the reason for her arrival at Julian's estate.

Sydney knew of the Masquerade, and that alone was enough to sign her death warrant within the Kindred. Only under his watchful eye could Julian keep her safe, and at the same time, that safety could still bring her destruction. His attempts to keep her sister alive had only brought her death, and while he knew he ran the risk with Sydney as well, he couldn't help but try.

"So, this is where you kept Sasha." Sydney looked around the foyer with a slow nod. "Nice digs. A bit fancy, but still nice." She turned to Julian. "Am I supposed to still call you uncle? Like I don't know you're my million times grandfather?"

"Not that much," Julian said softly, "but if that makes you comfortable..."

"I'll just call you Julian, how's that? Or Jules. Jules is cool."

"I'd prefer Julian."

"I bet you would." She strode into the room and the tread of her Lugz squeaked against the hard wood floor. Her duffel bag fell from her arm. "Servants for that kinda thing, right?" She snorted. "I was starting to think Sasha was the only special one. And to think, I just had to have a few vamps try and kill me. Not too shabby for riskin' my life, huh?"

Julian sighed. Truthfully, he hadn't kept as close of an eye on Sydney as he had Sasha. Sydney had a rebellious streak and got in her share of trouble, but she had never ended herself up in jail. She most certainly wouldn't have kissed her dead grandfather on the mouth at his funeral. In fact, she didn't even attend the funeral. It was a family that she was happy forgetting, and though Julian wished she had stayed closer to home, he couldn't blame her for wanting to expand.

"It's like we've always told you, Sydney. You're not like Sasha. She was..."

"A brainless twit who did whatever she could to get attention." She turned to him. "And in the end, it got her killed." Sydney took in a deep breath, then let her body droop. "Don't confuse me with her. Of course, you never have but..." She shrugged. "Sasha got into things she shouldn't have, and in the end, her mouth and her attitude got her killed. Yeah, I get into my fair share, but... this whole Masquerade thing was a total accident. It's not like I have a hard-on to be one of the undead, ya know? So, don't worry about that. It's not in my best interests to become one of you."

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm not too keen on the whole blood drinking thing."

"Good." Julian had feared that she would be more like Sasha than she would have liked to admit. He hadn't wanted Sasha Embraced, and he didn't want Sydney to be Embraced, either. She wasn't in San Francisco to join the Kindred. She was there to stay alive long enough for Julian to convince the others that she was no trouble. "If you'll go up the stairs," he said with a flourish of his arm, "I'll show you to your room."

"In a rush to get me settled, huh, Jules? Got a big date?"

"Sydney..."

"Yeah, yeah, it's Julian." She picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "I'll tell you now, my skills don't fit in with whatever business you have running here. I don't do the office thing, and I'm not gonna be a flunky at your little paper. So, if you want me to pull my own weight, you need to find something more along the lines of drink slinging or bike fixing."

"I won't force you to work, Sydney. I have more than enough for you to live comfortably. If you insist upon working, I'm sure Morgana can find you something at Haven. In fact, I'm going to Haven tonight. You can meet Morgana there... if she's not taking care of other business."

Julian fell silent and Sydney nodded. "I get the point. Your business, not mine. It's cool." She turned abruptly and was suddenly face to face with someone she didn't know, but she would wager half of Julian's money that it was a vampire. Though, from what she had learned of clans, he definitely was not whatever clan Julian led. "And you are?"

"Cash," he said in a rough, low voice. "You're..."

"Sydney."

"Sasha's sister."

"No. I'm Sydney. Sasha was Sydney's sister, got it?" She rolled her eyes. "That look in your eye says you fell prey to my sister's underwear. Let me tell ya somethin' to make it all better. Sasha hopped beds and fell in love more often than she changed said underwear, so don't feel bad, okay? She was bound to end up toast."

"Don't talk about her like that."

"Uh huh. She was my sister, I can talk about her however I want." She groaned and looked to Julian. "Is he going to be here a lot?"

"Cash is my bodyguard," Julian told her, "and the primogen of his clan."

"So, I take it then that the answer is yes. Great." She turned back to Cash. "Look, I'm sure you're cool and all. Just don't start with me. I've never been a member of the 'Sasha is great' fan club, and her being dead doesn't change that. Sorry that she's dead, but it's not like I didn't see it coming a mile away."

Cash growled at her, and Sydney just stared. She was used to the attitude. Somehow, being a spoiled brat had managed to get everyone to think that Sasha was special, but Sydney knew better and she had no intentions on pussy footing around because this guy had the bad taste to fall in love with her sister.

A hand touched her shoulder and Sydney slowly looked behind her. Julian's eyes were vacant, his face a mask of unreadable lines as he said, "Let's get you settled in."

"Uh huh." She moved past Cash and started up the stairs. A few steps up, she asked, "Does him being your bodyguard mean that he's mine, too? That attitude he's got... I don't trust him."

"I trust Cash with my life, Sydney. San Francisco is the only town that has managed to get the Gangrel clan to come together and be a part of Kindred society. He is completely loyal to me, and in turn, to you."

"Yeah, well... he needs to get that chip off his shoulder. And you need to get that vacant 'I miss Sasha' look outta your eyes. She's dead, but I'm not, and sorry if it sounds harsh, but I've got absolutely no problem with that. It could be worse. We could both be dead, and then where would you be? Up shit's creek, multiple-times great Gramps. So cheer up and be glad ya got me. Sasha's gone, end of story."


	3. Chapter 3

The scream was anguished and pained. The walls shook. Deep below the offices of Dave Batista was hidden the dungeon. It had been there during the days of Eddie Fiori, and Dave had seen no reason to get rid of it. In recent months, he hadn't found a need to use it. Now, with Morgana's warnings reverberating in his head, he was glad that the place still existed.

He called himself Kane. So long since his Embrace, no one remembered what his real name had actually been. His variation on the first primogen's name made him think more of himself than was actually there. Laying on the floor with Chyna's foot crushing his trachea, his own mortality was dawning on him.

Dave dropped down to the floor beside Kane's head. "Fiori loyalist!" He spat the words at him. From his station in Washington, D.C. as the primogen's second, Dave had been more interested in other clans in other cities than he should have been. His own primogen was never going to step down, and Dave couldn't find a way to get rid of him that wouldn't send the rest of the clans against him. So, his eyes set on the opposite coast, and he found Eddie Fiori.

As a primogen, the man was a joke. Though, by nature, the Brujah clan bucked authority, Eddie took it too far. He endangered the entire Masquerade with his overtly strong arm tactics. He threatened a war with the prince of the city. By the time Dave had decided to take his leave from D.C., Brujah in San Francisco were already seeking him out because their primogen was gone.

He had plans for the San Francisco Brujah. They would still run the music industry. They would still stand on their own when they could, but he wouldn't think that he alone could take down the prince. He didn't want to be prince. Dave likened himself to a Mafia capo. He was happy with his smaller family and didn't want the burden of every single vampire within the city limits. He would let Julian Luna lead his people, and Dave would forge forward with his own.

And now, this Kane was threatening to destroy it all. By Morgana's word, he was the leader of the sect within Brujah that wanted to revolt. He didn't necessarily trust Morgana, but he knew that she didn't have desires to be princess anymore than he wanted to be prince. He knew that she wasn't trying to destroy other clans. She was just trying to keep her boyfriend's powerbase strong.

Dave just wanted to keep his clan in one piece.

"You think I'll let you destroy my clan?" He shoved Chyna's foot out of the way and replaced it with his hand. He gripped Kane's throat tightly as he growled at him. "You think I came all the way here for you to give me my final death? Not fucking likely!"

Dave stood so quickly that a human would have missed the movement. It was like he just appeared on his feet. He threw Kane across the room and almost like a game of basketball, Chyna finished the past and threw him into the wall. She sneered at him and dug her nails into his neck.

Chyna had come with Dave from D.C. Brujah may have been muscle, but even Brujah needed bodyguards, and there was no one he trusted more than the muscular woman that stood at his side. Dave was her sire. Some fifty years prior, her raven hair and uncharacteristically muscular body had called him to her. She had welcomed his Embrace and been by his side ever since. Now, there was no way in hell she was going to let someone as low as Kane ruin this.

"I say we kill him now." She squeezed harder. Blood welled around her fingernails. "We get rid of him and the others will file suit."

"You know what Luna said, and for now, we'll go along with the prince's wishes."

"Do we go with his girlfriend's wishes as well? Do we torture?"

Dave smirked. "Well, Chyna... I thought that's what we were doing all along." He walked up to Kane and stuck the barrel of a 9mm in his stomach. "Torture is the best thing to do when you can't kill them."

He pulled the trigger. Two loud cracks, then Kane started to scream. Chyna dropped him, then she and Dave stepped back to watch him slide down the wall. He held his hands to his stomach. He watched the blood ooze around his fingers. His eyes rose, wide with astonishment, to his primogen.

"Next time, it'll be phospherous." Dave stepped up to him and kicked him in the side. He squatted down in front of him and sneered. "You tell the rest of them what happened here. I will bring every fucking one of them down here and tear them to shreds. I will collect your blood in a reservoir beneath the floor, and then the entire clan will feed on you. I don't give a damn what Luna says. He is not going to protect every rotten son of a bitch in every clan."

Dave stood as Chyna walked over. She brought her knee up, catching Kane in the throat. She looked down at him with her hands on her hips. "And I am the one that will personally bleed you. Hurt the primogen, you hurt me. And I can't stand to be hurt."

She shoved him out of the way, then jerked the door open. Dave followed her. He left the wrought iron door ajar. There was no point torturing Kane if his followers wouldn't know that he meant business. Outside the door, he adjusted his collar and straightened his suit jacket. Looking down, he saw a spot of blood on the black silk sleeve and groaned. "Fucking hell..."

Chyna looked at him and rolled her eyes. "You're not the only one." She rose her hand and looked in disgust at the blood embedded beneath her nails. "I've got to wash this shit off."

"Go up and get cleaned off. I'll meet you in the lobby in fifteen minutes. I'm sure Luna will be at Haven tonight. We can let him and Morgana know that our clan is taken care of, so they can back the hell off."

"Sounds like a plan."

Chyna nodded and headed off. Dave watched her walk away, then turned back towards the dungeon. Kane was moving towards the door and his bald, shining head was visible from the hallway. Dave grabbed the door and slammed it inward. The steel crashed into his skull and Kane went flat. He'd wake up, but he'd have one hell of a headache. "Fuck with us, will you? That'll teach you to make Brujah look bad." He spat on the floor by Kane's head, then turned and headed upstairs.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hello?" A head of blonde hair peeked around the darkened corner. There weren't many that would so casually tread the darker and deeper regions of Julian Luna's palacial home. However, this tall Kindred with the personality of a diminuitive butterfly moved about easily.

Stacy Keibler was one of few who found comfort in the company of Daedalus. To the many of the others, the Nosferatu were nothing more than sewer rats, disgusting creatures shunned because of their grotesque appearance, thus relegated to the darkest parts of the city. Stacy, however, saw more, at least in Daedalus. She didn't care much for the company of the other Nosferatu, but their primogen was considered to her a friend.

Daedalus's solitude broke her partially beating heart. It was obvious to Stacy that he was lonely. He didn't speak much about his past, but she assumed that before his Embrace, he had been surrounded by loved ones. There was family around him, and perhaps he was from one of the long lost times where there was nothing more important than family. Now, he was alone, hiding from the world in Julian's sub-basement. It was saddening and had caused blood tears to leak from her eyes on more than one occasion.

"Daedalus?" She moved forward slowly, her hand gliding against one of the few bare walls. When she first met him, there were various sculptures and paintings covering a few walls. Now, most of his decoration was her. Everywhere she looked, there were paintings hanging that he had painted of her in various outfits. Stacy had taken to buying a new dress or suit at least once a week to give Daedalus something new to paint.

Stacy thought his artwork belonged in a museum. There were plenty of artists who shunned the spotlight, and Daedalus could have been included as one of them. He resisted, however, insisting that they were for private use only. There was something in each one that no one but him would be able to truly understand. At times, she thought he was right.

Though she had posed for the paintings, and there were many adorning her own walls, even she couldn't always explain the emotion that was behind them. She would stare at them for hours, trying to understand what she felt at each one. Sorrow, possibly? There was often something about the way his brushstrokes lined her face or lit her eyes that made her think that there was sadness in Daedalus when he painted it, but she couldn't remember a time where there was a feeling of sadness to the room.

In the beginning, there was a bit of discomfort, all on the part of Daedalus. He didn't understand why someone so beautiful, so light, could willing spend time with him. He hid his face from her often, lurking in the shadows while she admired his outwork. As time passed, she was able to pull him out and sometimes even get a laugh out of him.

Most of her clan seemed very stoic, especially the women. Ventrue were business oriented, and serious about everything in life. Things had to be a certain way, there had to be a certain order to things. This was the reason so many city royals were Ventrue. They kept the peace because they needed order in their lives. Stacy, however, was still as jovial as before she was Embraced. She could still be serious when it was necessary, but whatever was in the Ventrue blood had not fully taken away her breezy nature.

"Daedalus, I know you're here." She stepped into his main sanctuary, his pseudo art studio. "Are we playing hide and seek?" She giggled and covered her eyes with her hands. "I'll start counting, and then ready or not..." She began to count, treading slowly so as not to bump into anything. When she reached ten, she uncovered her eyes. "Here I come..."

Stacy stopped after her second step. Across from her was a painting that she knew she hadn't posed for. She sat behind her desk at the San Francisco Times. Black rimmed glasses were perched on her nose. One hand brushed hair back from her face as she poured over papers. Her fingers were posed mid-thrum against the desk, with index and middle fingers in the air. Every part of her office was shown in minute detail, including the small brass nameplate, complete with her full name and 'Editor-In-Chief' etched beneath. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

"I painted it from memory." Daedalus walked slowly out of the shadows. Stacy jumped and spun around at his voice. "I hope you don't mind."

"No... I mean... wow." She turned back to the painting. "I just... I never knew you watched."

"I don't mean to intrude. These have just been precarious times. I wanted to make sure that you were alright."

"Oh, Daedalus." She turned to him again. "You're so sweet. This is just..." Back to the painting. "I've never seen..." She walked slowly to the painting, her arm outstretched. She lightly ran her fingers across the dried paint. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"An image is only as beautiful as the muse that it is created for."

"I would say only as beautiful as the soul that created it." She let her hand fall to her side, then turned to look at Daedalus. "Why didn't you tell me you were there? You don't have to stand in the shadows."

"Your office is a very busy place."

"You are not ugly, Daedalus. You don't need to hide." Stacy folded her arms over her stomach and set her jaw. If ever the saying that beauty was within were true, it was in reference to Daedalus. "You may not be as glamorous or classically beautiful as some of the other clans, but you're most certainly not grotesque or anything like that. It's what inside that counts, and you just... you glow inside."

"That may be true to you, but it frightens others." Daedalus dropped his head. "I have grown weary of screams and terrified shrieks. The shadows are my home."

"Because you make them." Stacy sighed and let her arms dangle at her sides. She walked slowly to him, then put a hand on cheek. "You feel comfortable here, and I understand, but if you're going to self-depracate, please don't do it around me. I don't believe it." She smiled at him. "Now, in case you haven't noticed, I'm wearing a new dress."

He looked up at her with a small smile. "It's very lovely."

"Why, thank you." She held the hem and gave him a small curtsy. "We can sit down and have a fabulous visit. I noticed an empty spot on the wall, and this one can go right in it. And while we do this, I can tell you all about the outrageous story that came across my desk today. It was the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard."

Stacy flounced across the room and perched on a stool, stretching her right leg in front of her. Daedalus walked in his usual slow gait towards her, but his lips were curved up in a smile. It was a vision that most others didn't get to see, and Stacy was honored that she got the opportunity. Her femininity and smiles may not have been much use in a fight, but sometimes, she thought their use was something much more important. They lightened a heavy heart and brought company to a lonely creature, and there was no reward big enough for that. Except, maybe, another pretty painting for her walls.


	5. Chapter 5

While Lillie rarely used the suites that lay above The Haven, Morgana was more than happy to use them for something other than a quick change or a less quick lay. With the tension surrounding the deaths of Lillie, Eddie and Sasha, Morgana couldn't afford to have anyone within her clan believe she might have been weak. Living with her boyfriend, who happened to be the prince of the city, would cause more trouble than it was worth. She needed her clan to know that she was the prince's mate second, and their primogen first.

As primogen, she had taken it upon herself to instill the proper amount of fear in those that she had found to be untrustworthy within the Toreador clan. None of their injuries had been permanent, but there were a few that would have to call in sick from work for a few days. Rapid healing or not, some cuts were too deep to heal within minutes, especially when a bone was pulled through the skin. She had followed Julian's command and not killed, but she was almost positive that it would come to that.

There were more within Toreador that wanted to rebel. She didn't know exactly who they were, but she was fully aware of their presence. Morgana's guess was that there was a growing following for some Ventrue or Toreador would-be prince, and what they believed to be their time was coming closer. This was no time for weakness or leniency. All hell was going to break loose, and after that... it was very possible that Julian would not be able to quell the war this time around.

Soft hands touched her bare waist and Morgana grinned. She turned to face Julian, his palms sliding across her skin. She rose her arms and draped them over his shoulders. Julian was just short enough that she only had to rise to tiptoe in order to take a whiff of his neck. She rubbed her nose against his skin, then muttered, "That better be your niece I smell on you. I'll not take kindly to anymore humans pawing this lovely body."

There was a smile in his voice as Julian said, "Sydney's downstairs."

"And you leave her alone, here? With the Kindred of the city roaming the floors."

"Cash is with her."

"Ah, then I'm sure she's safe. Or as safe as one can be with the Gangrel watching them." Both of their voices were low and even, as though they were speaking of something as inconsequential as the next day's weather. Morgana arched her back until she was looking at Julian's face. "I can't afford to have warfare over her in the club, Julian. There are Brujah downstairs."

"And everyone saw her walk in with me. I'm giving Dave the benefit of the doubt that he's smarter than Fiori. He and Cash will keep the peace tonight between their clans, even if it is a tentative one."

"Aren't they all."

She rose and kissed his lips, lingering at the taste of him for a moment before pulling away. Morgana was tempted to avert Julian's attention long enough to take advantage of the fact that she wasn't dressed yet. Not that she had anything against socializing, but she wasn't ready to look at another of Julian's human family. The last one had brought only trouble for the prince, and she didn't know if she could hold her tongue should this one give off the same vibe as Sasha.

At the same time, she knew that Brujah and Gangrel in the same place for too long without direct supervision wasn't a good idea. Even with Fiori gone, Cash was quicker to his anger towards the clan that had Embraced Sasha against her will. The blood forced the clans to have a dislike towards one another, but recent actions had turned it into hate on the Gangrel side and bitter resentment on the Brujah side. Morgana did not want her club to end up in shambles because they couldn't confine their fighting to back alleys and empty parks.

"I wasn't expecting you so early," Morgana said as she moved around the room. "I would have been dressed and waiting for you downstairs."

"But, then, I would have missed a sight of beauty." Julian smiled. He walked towards her, his arms loose at his sides. "You in black silk and lace truly is a lovely sight."

"Such a flatterer." She smirked. Her hands went to her hips. The lower half of her hands rested on the top curve of black silk panties. A matching bra held in her full breasts. "Are you here for dinner, reports... or something a little more exciting?"

"I would venture to say... a little of all three." He walked closer to her and extended a hand.

Morgana took the offered hand, then let Julian pull her to him. Her hand landed on his chest. "Is dinner last? Of course, dinner would equal a glass of wine unless you felt the need to put on a show for this one as you did the last."

"Sydney knows of the Masquerade. There is no need to pretend in front of her."

"How comforting." She pulled her hand from his grasp. Morgana moved slowly as she rose her arms. She rested her palms flat against Julian's jacket, then carefully curled her fingers. She shoved the jacket down his arms, then tossed it to the bed. "Shall we move on to the second part of that combination?"

She slowly unbuttoned his shirt. As her fingers passed his skin, Julian hissed. "The reports."

"Yes..." She pulled the opened shirt out of his pants and eased it down his arms. It joined the jacket on the bed. Her nails raked his chest. "All known rebels have been punished and warned."

He hissed again. "Known?"

"I'm sure there are others, and we won't know who they are unless everything comes to a head." She kissed his chest. "And the others?"

"Cash has taken care of Gangrel. I have shown Ventrue the error of their ways. And Brujah has been put in their place. We have done all that we can to avoid war. If they make a move now, we have no choice but to kill."

"Then the business is settled." Morgana eased to the side and kissed his arm. She ran her tongue along his bicep then bit down. Julian's teeth clenched and air squeezed out between them. Morgana released his skin, then ran her tongue along his arm. The marks of her teeth were gone. "And now, we can continue on to things more pleasant."

Julian turned quickly and grabbed her arms. He pulled her close and kissed her. His lips crushed hers. His hands slid down her arms. He grabbed her waist and lifted her. Seconds later, he threw her down on the bed and hovered over her body. His hand slowly moved up her side. He cupped her breast and said, "Definitely more pleasant." Julian bent and kissed her again.


	6. Chapter 6

The commotion began with a passing shove as Brujah passed Gangrel. Women, by nature, seemed to be catty. That didn't change because they were Embraced. In fact, considering the clans, it only made things worse. Tension had been in the air all night, and it was only a matter of time before something happened. Either side was itching to go at the other, and their chance came when Brujah's Jordan Baxter bumped into Gangrel's Lisha Martin.

"Gangrel trash." Jordan's words were low enough to be heard over the thrumming music. She tossed her red hair over her shoulder and sneered. She brushed at her shoulder, then put her hands on her hips.

Lisha turned towards her and glared. Her leather jacket groaned as she rose her arm and ran a hand through her black hair. "Brujah bitch," she spat at her. She stood as tall as someone barely five and a half feet could. "Watch where you're going, or stay the hell out of places decent people gather altogether."

"Ha!" She rolled her eyes and smirked. "Decent people... Gangrel scum are anything but decent. Shouldn't you be out trolling the streets for a box to sleep in tonight?"

"Funny." She grunted. "Shouldn't you be out looking for a cold body to fuck? The way I hear it, that's about all Brujah can get. Anyone alive has enough sense not to be anywhere near your dirty ass."

"You..." Jordan started to swing and Lisha caught her arm. She brought the other arm around and connected with a loud slap across her face. "Bitch!"

And the fight was on. Before either clan could get to their feet, the women were on the floor, claws bared. They knew the rules. No killing blows. This wasn't a war. It was an ages old blood grudge, and to do more than bruise the other was grounds for a clan war. The prince had laid down the law. There would be no wars unless he deemed it necessary. Most doubted that a passing brush in a club warranted war.

Across the room, Cash stood up. While he would like nothing better than to see Lisha tear every hair from Jordan's head, he couldn't allow the fight to go on in the club. The Brujah primogen had yet to arrive, and someone had to keep the peace. His firey blood made him weary of the peacefulness that cohesion had caused in him, but there was nothing else he could do. He didn't want to go to war anymore than the others did. He just enjoyed a good fight.

Apparently, so did Sydney, shown by her hand landing on Cash's arm. "Let it go," she said with an amused grin. "Let the chicks go at it."

He groaned. "I can't do that. Julian would kill me if this got too far."

"Oh, please. He wouldn't kill you." She rolled her eyes. "I swear, you're way too uptight for the kinda guy Sasha usually went for. What did she see in you, anyway?"

Cash forced himself to stare forward. "How about you not start shit, huh? I've got enough trouble ahead of me." He snatched his arm from her and started across the floor.

Sydney stood up and yelled, "You just wanna get away from me! Just wait until I tell my grandfather... or whatever he is... that you left me alone!"

Continuing to go forward, he retorted, "Everything is not about you! Damn! And you claim you're not like Sasha. You're exactly like her!"

"You son of a bitch!" She ran around the table and grabbed his arm. "You say that again, and I'll kick your ass! There's no insult in the world greater than comparing me to that slut!"

Cash jerked away from her again. "You're lucky you're Julian's blood, or I'd have..." His arm rose haltingly, then fell back to his side. "Understand this... me stopping this fight doesn't have a goddamn thing to do with you, got it? It endangers the Masquerade. You're not the only human in this place, and if the claws come out, then we can't erase an entire club."

He turned away from her before the urge to belt her rose again. Cash shoved his way through the gathering crowd. Brujah and Gangrel were arguing amongst themselves. Anytime someone tried to break up the fight, someone from the other clan stopped them. Humans were gathering in a circle, mostly men who wanted to see a chick fight. Cash pushed them all aside and grabbed Lisha around the waist. Her jerked her off of Jordan.

"Stop it, now!" He set her down, then grabbed both of her arms. "When we fight, we don't do it in public, you got me!"

"She started it!" She whirled around and surged forward. Cash grabbed her around the waist again. "That bitch slapped me!"

Brujah were now holding Jordan. "All she had to do was apologize! The dirty trash should watch where the hell you're going!"

"Trash..." Lisha tried to jump at her again. Jordan fought at the Brujah holding her. The women were doing their best to get away, but the holds on them were too tight. They could scream as loud as they wanted at one another, but they weren't going to fight. Cash was just grateful that they had the good sense not to yell out clan names at each other with so many humans around.

Sydney stood by and watched it all with amusement. She had been through so many cities, accidentally involved with too many Kindred to have never seen the clash between Brujah and Gangrel. It was the exact opposite of what she had witnessed between Toreador and Ventrue. Where the latter two clans blended as though they were of the same blood, the others fought like oil and water. She thought it was funny, and at the same time, sadly all too much like life for humans as well. All the same species, yet all fighting. She was pretty sure that the humans thought this was a clash of black and white, racism flying on both sides. She knew that it went far deeper, and yet... was pretty much the same bullshit as could be found in the deep South.

A hand touched her hip and she whirled around. The man was attractive that grinned down at her, that was for sure. He was also very Kindred. His eyes weren't glowing, and there was no hint of fang, though she had to admit that she hadn't actually seen any fangs on any of the Kindred except for that one Nosferatu who had freaked her out when he came out from a shadow. But, despite any signs that she thought would have been telltale, she knew that something about this one was off.

Sydney's eyes dropped to the hand on her hip, then rose back to his face. "Your hand is somewhere that I don't want it to be."

He laughed, a short chuckling burst. "What's a pretty thing like you doing slumming with this bunch of trash?"

"The same thing you're doing with the trash that you dressed up in expensive clothes to cover the whore. Trying to have a drink. Now, get your goddamned hands off of me."

"Actually, I had one hand on you, but now..." He put the other hand on her hip. Slowly, he lowered his head until his lips almost touched her ear. "Another groupie looking to sleep in the streets with Gangrel trash?"

"I said, get your goddamned hands off of me!" She shoved him back and glared. "Better Gangrel than Brujah in pretty suits pretending they're anything more than street rats."

"You little bitch." He grabbed her, and then there was a growl. His head turned slowly to Cash. His lips turned up into a mixture of a snarl and a smirk. "And what are you going to do, huh? Primogen that licks the prince's boots instead of leading his clan... Scared we're going to snatch this one away from you like we did the last one?"

Cash growled again. If they were anywhere else, he would have shifted and torn his throat out before he could utter another word. Instead, he squeezed the arm until he released Sydney. "I don't like anybody's boots. But I'll happily lick the blood from your neck after I rip your throat to shreds."

He snatched his arm back. "Big talk from a little man, Cash."

"See how little I am, Brand. I dare you to try."

Sydney's scream behind him turned his head, and he only barely managed to miss the swing that came his way. A Brujah had picked Sydney up, but her scream wasn't fright but fight as she reared around and punched the guy in the head. Cash turned back and when he connected solidly with Brand's jaw, the fight was back on.

Now, humans were in on the melee. People were fighting for no good reason and the place was being torn apart. Julian and Morgana ran down the stairs and waded into the crowd just as Dave and Chyna were entering the club. The prince's voice boomed as he shouted, "Enough!" The word reverberated off the walls and slowly, everyone stopped and turned towards him. It took all of his control to keep his eyes from glowing.

"The Haven is now closed!" Morgana called. "Get out before someone calls the police!" No one moved. "Get out!"

Slowly, the crowd started to dissipate. People began to quickly forget why they were fighting. Their energy was up, but since there really hadn't been much of a reason for the brawl, there didn't seem to be a reason to continue it either. Though the club started to empty of humans, the Kindred stayed behind. Julian and Morgana excused Toreador and Ventrue. The way members of Brujah and Gangrel stared at each other, it was very obvious to them that they were the ones who started the brawl.

Dave was talking low, but animatedly to his people. When there was no one left inside but Kindred, his voice rose. "I can't leave you alone for a few minutes? What the hell is wrong with you! We do not air our clan laundry in front of humans!" Someone started to speak and he shouted, "I don't care who started the fight! It ends!"

Cash grabbed one of his clan by the collars of his Harley jacket. His hair was long and curly. He was taller than the primogen, but that didn't stop his leader from being forceful. "What's with you, huh, Edge?" He shook him. "You're supposed to be my second and you let this shit go on? You can't break up a fight?"

"You started the fight with Brand."

He shook him again. "That wouldn't have happened if you'd have done something about the first one! I told you to keep an eye on Lisha! If I can't trust you to watch your own clan, how the hell do you think I'll ever let you guard the prince!"

"He's your prince!"

Cash threw him to the floor. His foot landed hard on Edge's throat. "He's your prince, too. I told you that tonight, and I'll tell you again. You better learn it, or you'll end up as dead as the others, got it?"

Julian let the primogens rant at their people, then finally yelled, "Stop!" He moved to the center of the room, stopping when he got to Sydney. "Are you alright?" he asked her. She nodded, then shrugged.

"It's no big. Some people just don't realize when no means no. I think I taught 'em."

"Obviously, Haven isn't the place for you." He looked around the room. "We will not have a repeat of the past. No one is Embraced without permission. No one is Embraced against their will."

"No one was going to Embrace her. We didn't want her trashy sister and we damn sure don't want her. Let her stay with her Gangrel scum!"

"Shut up!" He whirled on Jordan. In the blink of an eye, Julian was in front of her. He reached out and snatched her by her throat. "You speak when I tell you, do you understand?" She croaked out an affirmative and he let her go. Julian turned back to the others. "I'll tell you the exact same thing I told Eddie Fiori. Most of you exist because I allow it. Endanger the Masquerade again, and your lives will be forfeit. There will be no Blood Hunt. You will stand in line as I move through you and cut you each down. Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I want a strong city, but any of you who show me disloyalty will find yourselves the same place as Lillie and Eddie." He looked at the primogens. "Control your clans, or I'll do it for you."

"Julian..." Sydney groaned. The look he gave her was not pleasant and she quieted. She wasn't afraid, but neither was she stupid. She had to live with the man and getting a smart ass and possibly undermining comment in wasn't worth the shit she would have to take at home.

"Get your things," he told her. "We're going home." Sydney grunted, but she went back to the table to get her jacket. Julian looked up and said, "Morgana?"

"I'll be there later. I have to clean this mess up." She looked to the Kindred in front of her. "Or at least start directing the cleaning. I will not do the work after the mess you've made. You destroyed this place, you put it back together and hope to God that the Toreador at the door caught every human and altered their thoughts of what happened here tonight."

Julian gave her a nod, then looked at Cash and Dave. "I mean it. You control them, or I will." Sydney came back to him and he put an arm around her waist. "I will not go to war because Brujah and Gangrel can't get along for a few hours in the evening. And since you act like children, I will treat you as such. For the next week, all Gangrel and Brujah except for the primogens and their personal guard are banned from The Haven."

He stormed out of the club, holding tightly to Sydney. He stopped when he realized that his driver and bodyguard were both still inside. Julian turned and saw that going back inside was not necessary. Cash and the driver came storming out of the club, followed closely by Dave. Chyna was missing from his side, and Julian assumed that he had left her behind to oversee the clan.

"Julian..." Sydney sighed as they continued to walk to the car. "Was that really necessary?"

"Yes," he told her definitely, "it was."

His eyes glowed and Sydney knew that was the end of the conversation, whether she liked it or not.


	7. Chapter 7

Sydney lounged in the antique chair, and somehow, she knew that it was Julian's. The table was rectangular, and each end had a chair, but something told her that she was sitting in the prince's seat. There was an aura about it, something... she couldn't explain it. Looking down the table, though, she thought there might have been a slight incline to the floor, rising the seat up a bit over the others because she felt that she was looking down.

The night had been long, and it was nowhere near over. In fact, it was just barely past eleven, and yet, she felt like the sun was about to rise again. She supposed fighting did that to a person. Granted, she was usually keyed up when she got into a regular fight. With Kindred, the brawl just made her tired. She wanted to go to bed, and he wasn't letting her.

"I don't see the big deal, Julian." She slouched further down into the chair. "Yeah, I get it. I mean, Brujah and Gangrel hate each other, but their guy had shown up. Cash was there. I'm sure they'd have gotten things under control."

"You don't understand the deeper roots, Sydney." Julian perched on the side of the table and looked down at her. For someone so travelled and experienced, she was still so innocent at times. She knew about the Masquerade, and she knew about some of the clans, but she didn't know what was behind San Francisco itself. She didn't know what was behind the war he had declared in his city.

Julian hadn't wanted to tell it all to her. There was enough going on that rehashing the past couldn't have been good, but if she were going to stay there, she had to know. She had to be more careful. And she most definitely had to not make the same mistakes Sasha had made. In particular, the same mistakes with Cash. Granted, she and the Gangrel primogen seemed to be at odds constantly, but Julian saw what Sydney was obviously missing in herself. After years of watching her, and a few hours with her in his home, she knew that she was too much like the Gangrel to go into the situation blind.

"I know that they killed Sasha. And yeah, part of me is pissed at that. I couldn't stand her ass, but she was still my sister. You know what they say... you can love your family without liking them. But Sasha wanted this, and it got her killed. Sasha..."

"You sister didn't want to be Embraced," he told her softly. "At least... not the way she was."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means..." He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. When thinking of Sasha's Embrace, Julian tended to go to either extreme. He either wallowed in the loss of someone who was under his protection, his blood relative, or else he burst into a burning rage. He closed his eyes and calmed himself. When he was sure that he was level, he said, "Sasha didn't know about the Masquerade."

"Then... how could she and Cash..."

"They fell in love and Sasha... she knew we were different, but she didn't understand how. She didn't know why. She wanted to be with Cash, she wanted to be like us, but... Brujah Embraced her, and everything changed."

"She hated him, then? Cash?"

"Sometimes..." Julian shook his head. "The blood will eventually overpower the emotions, and had she survived, she would have grown to hate him. She would have grown to despise me. I would have become the Ventrue prince, the one to rebel against."

"Julian, I hate to tell you this, but Sasha was already rebelling." Sydney shrugged. "She'd been rebelling for years. You come around when we're little, and I saw you watching us a few times when we were older. Sasha didn't, but I know my surroundings. A girl's gotta survive and all." She sighed. "Sasha bucked all the shit she could. Being Brujah wasn't going to make her rebel against you. Being Sasha would have been more than enough."

"You're not understanding." Julian stood and paced back and forth, his hands clasped behind his back. "I tell you this not to condemn or victimize Sasha, but to keep you from becoming like her."

"I seriously doubt that's gonna happen."

"You will spend a lot of time with Gangrel," he said, turning to her. "You would become bored with Ventrue and Toreador, and I will not allow you to spend time with Brujah. And Nosferatu..."

"Wait a minute." She sat up a little straighter. "I'm gonna go straight past the 'no way in hell are you tellin' me who I can hang with' part and go right for... I don't wanna be around Brujah, anyway. They're posers and wannabe mobsters. Hell, half of 'em probably are mobsters."

"Sydney, hush!" His voice rose just enough to let her know that he meant business. She returned to her previous slouch. "There is a point, and if you would be quiet long enough, I'll get to it." She gestured him on and he groaned. "There is a war coming, and you are right in the middle of it. You may be used just as Sasha was to push it along."

"Because of what happened at the club? Julian, that was just some guy hitting on me."

"It was more than that. The only thing I can say is that this time around, I know that I can trust my primogens. Despite those in their clans who may be in this little rebellion, I know they are with me on this. They will punish those who do the deed, but it would still have been done. Tonight..." Julian sighed. "Maybe I've brought you into more trouble than I thought when first bringing you here."

"I'll die out there, Julian. I know enough of Kindred law to know that I either have to be Embraced or killed, unless I am protected. You are my protection."

"And I may also be your end. Know this, Sydney. When you are Embraced, your human body will die. You will change, and in the end, you've been killed all the same. I have no doubt that someone who wants to push a war will Embrace you just as quickly as they did Sasha. My weakness is my human family, and you are the last one. Until you discovered the Masquerade, you were safer out on your own than you are with me."

"And Cash? Am I safer with him?"

"If you're as close to being free as I think you are... then, no."

"I'm not free, Julian. I'm bound, and I like it that way. You said you trust Cash with your life, and you trust him with mine. He's a lot of things... a complete asshole being one of 'em, but he's loyal to you, and he won't let anything happen to me. You've gotta stop mourning Sasha. And stop mourning me before I'm even gone. My heart still beats and my lungs work on their own. How about takin' some heart in that and not condemning me to a pine box or blood drinking before it's happened."

"I'm prince of the city, Sydney. I have to think the worse to prepare for it."

"Yeah, well, I'm not and I don't." She stood up and looked at him. Her tone softened as she said, "I know you care, and that's cool. Nobody's cared in a really long time, ya know? But you're gonna care too much, and with the shit going on in this town, that's gonna cause you trouble. Focus on your business and leave me to roam."

Sydney put a hand on his arm and hoped he got the point. Things were going to get rough, and they would be tense. As long as he had Brujah and Gangrel together in the same city, there would always be unrest, but he really needed to lighten up.

She shrugged and took a step back. "Oh, and tell that Morgana chick that her club's cool. If she needs a bartender, sign me up. This place is nice but it's stuffy and I can't just sit around here all day. Besides..." She winked and grinned. "I'm a nightlife sorta chick. Don't necessarily like to mingle, but the energy is a freakin' blast."

She turned and Julian watched her go up the stairs. She was a wild one, much like Sasha, but where her sister tried too hard to be free, Sydney was already there. If she didn't be careful, she would find herself Embraced, and he didn't know if, as much as she was against the idea, she would be able to handle it.

"She'll be fine." Julian turned as Daedalus came out of the shadows. "This one is a lot more street smart than the last."

"I hope so," he said with a groan. "I don't know if I can stand to lose another one." With a sigh and his shoulders slumped, Julian moved towards the foyer. Morgana would be there soon and he was in desperate need for a pick me up.


	8. Chapter 8

Part of Frank Kohanek wished that he could forget about everything he had learned in the past year. He didn't want to have anything to do with Julian Luna and his Kindred. The only thing they did was cause him trouble and heighten his sense of paranoia. He knew that vampires existed and referred to themselves as Kindred. He knew that they walked among the humans in disguise, hiding from what they claimed to fear in their Masquerade. What he didn't know, however, was who belonged to his team, and who belonged to theirs.

That's what worried him most, that he could stand in front of one of them and not know who they were. He didn't know who he could trust. The only reason he still breathed was because Julian had put him under his protection. Vampires all over the bay area wanted to kill him, but Luna told them no. So, not only did he have enemies around that he couldn't detect, but he was also indebted to a man that he was very close to despising.

Julian kept him alive because of Alexandra Serris, and she was the reason that Frank didn't volunteer for a memory wipe. To forget the Kindred, he would have to forget her, and if he had nothing else of her, he had her memory. They were in love, and Kindred law had taken her away from him. And, it was a sire's devotion, sorrow and guilt that kept her memory and Frank alive.

Yet, with all of his anger and contempt, Frank somehow found himself crossing Julian's threshold. Somewhere between graciousness and survival, Frank had managed to become a watchdog of sorts. Though there were probably Kindred within the police force who could handle their problems, they always seemed to land in Frank's lap somehow. It was a lot easier on him when he thought Luna was just another mob boss to get rid of.

"I thought you said the wars were over." Frank walked with the air of annoyance into the mansion.

"They are." Julian sat on a large black leather sofa, facing a small and crackling fire. "Last night was not a war."

"It was enough. Half the department has the idea that we're getting some kind of mob war going on and they all expect me to take care of it."

"Your job is not to cover all of our tracks, Frank. We've done perfectly well with it thus far. We can continue to do it without you."

"Great. Wonderful appreciation skills you got there, Luna." Frank threw his hands up in frustration. "Maybe I don't want the extra work, huh? I get a call to go down to Haven, I know what it's about, and it's not something I wanna be involved in. This is your garbage, not mine."

"It would have been yours." Julian slowly turned towards him. "The way I hear it, you wanted Alexandra to Embrace you."

"Don't you say her name!" As much as the thought of her could bring sorrow to his heart, hearing Julian speak her name brought only anger. "I didn't want to be one of you. I wanted to be with her, and you took that from me! You are the reason I'm living this... this... screwed up life, so don't you dare condescend to me, Luna."

"Don't show me the anger because Alexandra didn't want to Embrace you! All she had to do was ask!" Julian stood and stalked across the floor. "All she had to do was tell me that Embracing you would have made her happy, and I would have given her that. I owed her that much. And if we are so bothersome for you, I can easily erase every memory you've ever had of us. But you remember this, Frank Kohanek, that includes Alexandra. If I erase some, I erase it all."

"And for his next trick, he erases the school lunch from the blackboard." With a smirk, Sydney walked into the room. The air was thick with enough tension that she could have choked on it. She was already tired, awakened way too early by the sun coming into her windows. It didn't help any, either, that her first few nights in a new bed were always uncomfortable.

Sydney strode across the floor, holding a steaming white china mug. "You're almost out of coffee, Julian." She walked to him and leaned against his arm. The grin she gave Frank was nowhere near innocent and almost at devilish. "Why are you harassing Julian?"

Frank looked at the girl and his first thought was that she was nothing like anything he expected to be dating Julian. In low-riding black jeans and a tight tank top that showed too much skin, she was more what he would have pictured with Julian's bodyguard than the prince of the city. His second thought was that she might have been one of them, but changed that when he looked into her eyes. There was nothing special about them, but for some reason, he thought she seemed human.

"Starting them young, Luna? Get 'em ready for your life early so they're right for you when the time comes?"

Julian's lip twitched. A low growl crawled out of his throat. "This is my niece."

"Actually, more like his great great... wait a minute, my grandfather was your grandson, so yeah... two greats... grandfather." She smirked and took a sip of her coffee. "And you are? I'm assuming that you know the deal here since I could hear you yelling about some woman and being Embraced all the way in the kitchen, and that's a lot of noise considering that thing is a million miles across the way."

Frank snorted. "Aren't you a little young to be dying as a part of the family?"

"First of all, I'm older than Sasha was. Second, I'm not dying for anything. And third, you should really get the stick out of your ass. I mean, come on... so you're stuck in the middle of some shit you don't like. You're in the middle, same as I am."

He smirked. "A couple of lowly humans surrounded by savages?"

"Something like that. But, please, don't call Grandpa a savage. He doesn't like it." She stood up then winked at Julian. "He doesn't like to be called Grandpa, either." She turned back to Frank. "Now, I gotta go and get ready to do... something. I don't know. Something other than pretend to be rich. See ya... wait, what was your name?"

"Frank."

"Yeah. Great name." She rolled her eyes. "See ya, Frank."

Sydney walked off, leaving the two men staring behind her. Frank couldn't believe she took it all so easily. It was a lot to know, and a lot of shit to be caught in the middle of. Apparently, the death of her sister in this mixed up world hadn't had the same affect on her as the death of Alexandra did him.

With a groan, Frank turned to Julian. "Take care of your business, Luna. I don't want another group of your kind dying in my streets, again." He walked off. On his way outside, he slammed the door behind him. Childish, yes. But did it feel good? Unfortunately... not so much.


	9. Chapter 9

"You're serious about this. I mean... one hundred percent positive?" The redheaded Gangrel shook her head. "This is going to extremes, man. I mean... you saw how Cash was last night, and that was only knowing this chick for a few hours. This... we're gonna end up just like Fiori and Lillie. We won't even be dignified with a fuckin' Blood Hunt. Luna will just have our heads."

"You're thinkin' that Luna's gonna survive this. Think about it. We make the strike, weaken him and then... by the time it's all over, we've got our heads and a new prince."

"From one Ventrue overlord to the next. Damn, man, I don't know why we keep following these people."

"Because we've got no choice. And this... this is fuckin' insane."

"None of you know what you're talkin' about. Eddie killed Sasha when the Blood Hunt was already on him. This... man, they don't even have a clue, and by the time they do, it'll be over and I'll be Gangrel's primogen. We're fuckin' set."

While the four definitely wanted a new prince, none of them wanted the job. They also wanted a new primogen, and out of the group, only one of them wanted the job that badly. Lita was more than happy to follow, as long as her ruler wasn't constantly licking the boots of a Ventrue prince. Matt and Jeff Hardy were better muscle than leaders and they knew it. But, Edge...

He was already Cash's second. Should someone happen to the primogen, he was the next in line, and he was more than ready to take what he saw as his rightful place. He wouldn't be a lapdog to the new prince. He would spread the Gangrel out, like it was supposed to be. They were a loner clan, a wandering clan. What the hell were they doing riding around like a motorcycle gang? As far as he was concerned, the Gangrel clan should have been free to roam, without asking permission to leave the city, and that was how he would run it.

"We've been trying to find a way to set Luna off balance and fuck with Cash's head, and this is it. The whole damn thing just fell into our laps! It's the perfect opportunity! The last time somebody fucked with Luna's family, he went bucking for war. Now... we're the ones ready for it. He doesn't have time to bring his people together, and he's got that fuckin' cop, Kohanek, on his ass all the time. His head's all over the place."

"And Cash?" Lita leaned forward, her arms resting on her thighs. Her arms dangled between her knees. "He's gonna skin us alive for this."

"Cash can't even stand the girl. Besides, he'll have too much trouble of his own to be startin' shit with us. He's not just Luna's bodyguard, he's the girl's, too. If he lets her die on his watch, then he's fucked. No way is Luna gonna let him get away with that."

"So, we just take her." Matt ran his hands through oily black hair, then stomped back and forth. "From where? Cash is a damn good guard and we're not gettin' past him. Hell, Edge, he's still pissed at you for that shit last night at the club."

"He can't be two places at once, can he? If we grab her while he's with Luna..."

"But then he won't be in trouble," Lita said, sitting up. She leaned back on the chair. "Like you said, he can't be in two places at once, and we've got one fuck of an understanding prince when it comes to people he likes. It has to be obviously Cash's fault, at least to him. We can't just say, oh, we killed her while Cash was with you, but it's his fault, anyway. That doesn't fly."

"Not to mention," Matt put in, "that we haven't discussed this with the Ventrue dickhead. You think he's gonna take to this shit well?"

"Fuck him," Edge said. "He put us in charge of fucking over Cash, and this is how we do it. If he didnt' wanna take Luna out himself, we'd probably just skip the girl and go straight to that."

While the others talked, Jeff sat silently straddling his Harley. He was the quiet one of the group, preferring to keep his thoughts in his head before spitting them out. He didn't believe in brainstorming and sharing thoughts. When he made up his mind, then he would speak.

Sitting in the garage, his foot slipped on a spot of oil. Jeff grunted, then keyed his engine. Finally, when the others had stopped, he said, "She got a job at Morgana's."

"What?" Edge stood up and walked over to Jeff. He leaned against the bike. Jeff keyed the engine again and Edge reached over and turned the bike off. "How the hell do you know that?"

"Who do you think Cash assigned to look after her?" He shrugged. "Luna's got other stuff for Cash to do it at night, so he told me to keep an eye on her. I'm supposed to follow her back to the mansion on her bike, then take off. Besides, Cash and that girl are like oil and water. It's hard to guard somebody you're always pissed at."

"What the fuck!" Edge had to stop himself from kicking over the bike, with Jeff on it. "How the fuck does he give that kinda job to you? See, what I mean? The guy's got no fuckin' respect for anybody but his fuckin' prince. We're gettin' rid of him, and we're usin' her to do it."

"I don't know about this, Edge." Lita shook her head. "I mean... you know what Cash did to Jesse? His warning for the rest of us? That guy won't be seen in public for days. He bashed his face in 'til his nose cracked, and then wouldn't even let him feed to heal himself. Jesse's nose is gonna end up crooked 'cause of that. We do this and..." She sighed. "We're dead."

"If you're scared, you go and lick Cash's ass. Bow down to his prince and kiss his hand. But, I'm not doin' it and if you say a goddamned word about this, you'll disappear, and I won't be the one that did it."

"I'm just sayin', Edge..." She groaned. "It's dangerous."

"Nothing worth doing is easy, and this is worth it. We'll have Cash and Luna at war with each other before the other clans even get involved. We get lucky, they'll kill each other and make our jobs that much easier."

"But..."

"No buts! We're doing it and that's the final word on it. Within a couple of days, I'll be the new primogen, so get used to taking my orders. We're gonna drain that bitch and leave her as a present for Luna on his fucking doorstep, and that's the end of it!"


	10. Chapter 10

Morgana wasn't sure about hiring Sydney, but she had to admit that she found it hard to deny Julian of anything. While the girl's credentials had been good enough, she didn't know if she could really handle the crowd that came into Haven. While humans did frequent the club, most of the patrons were Kindred and they were a lot rowdier than any drunken bikers she might have met along the way. When certain Kindred didn't get their way, they could be very disagreeable.

"We card them at the door," she told her, walking her from one end of the bar to the other, "so you won't need to. If they're old enough to drink, they'll have a stamp."

"I thought this place was 21 and up."

"Usually, but occasionally, we have 18 nights. Everything was easier before the human clubs decided to start letting the underage into their establishments. To preserve the Masquerade, we often adopt human trends and this, unfortunately, is one of them."

"So, stamp gets a drink, no stamp can kiss my ass."

Morgana rose an amused eyebrow at her, then nodded. "That's right." She turned to face the main floor. Her arms moved out as she directed her around the room. "Security is always within eyesight of you. Every entrance, and of course, the stairwell. I live up there, so I don't want any random people wandering into my space."

"I thought you lived with Julian."

Morgana laughed. "Not hardly." She turned towards Sydney with a grin. She wasn't the first to assume that she would do the same as Lillie. Most others who gave her the accusatory comment found their necks in her hands. However, she didn't hear the same mocking tone that she had heard in the beginning of her reign as primogen.

She leaned against the bar. Her hair drooped down her back, landing to brush against the top of the bar. "I have to keep my powerbase strong, and being seen as the prince's girlfriend won't help me do that. Julian and I have our relationship, somewhat loose though it may be, but living with him is not on the agenda right now."

Sydney shrugged. "Your choice. You all just seem so... tense. Like you can't enjoy whatever it is about your life that you enjoy 'cause you're too busy worrying about power and control."

"That's because we have to." Morgana stood up straight. "There is always someone with designs on our places, especially in our clans. I had my plans when Lillie was in charge, and I acted on them. I just didn't have to plot a coup to take over. She placed it in a neat package in my lap."

"You wanted her and Julian." She shrugged. "You're both uptight as all hell, so you're a fit."

"We're not uptight," she told her, "we're goal oriented. We're leaders, it's in our blood, and leaders can't afford to have the fun that others have, but we do make time for that. You'll learn the more you're here."

"Uh huh." Sydney's eyes floated around the club, stopping when she spotted Cash leaning against one wall. She supposed she should have been more gracious for the watchful eye he kept over her, but being followed annoyed her. She didn't mind the protection, because she knew she needed it, but she didn't like the idea of someone around her all the time.

Morgana's eyes followed her and she nodded. "Get your bearings, Sydney, and be prepared to work tonight. I have to admit, though, you're doing an excellent job proving you're not Sasha."

"Excuse me?"

"She was more than happy to sit around and do nothing but waste Julian's money, considerable amount that it may be. At least you're useful."

As Morgana walked off, Sydney thought about her comments. She obviously had no love lost for Sasha, but she got the idea that she felt that way about most humans. Was the woman really that far removed from her humanity that the race she used to belong to only disgusted her? Of course, Sydney was still human and most of the human race annoyed the hell out of her.

Shrugging, she hopped over the bar and landed in a crouch. Slowly, she stood up straight and walked over to Cash. He didn't move as she approached. He stayed leaning against the wall on his right side. His eyes were low, so that he stared at a place somewhere between her head and the floor. His hands were stuffed in his pockets. He looked way too comfortable for Sydney to be so uncomfortable.

"You planning to stand there all day?"

"No."

"How long are you going to stand there?" Cash shrugged and Sydney growled. "Seriously, man, if we've gotta spend this much time together, I'd like to know. I hate being stared at."

"I'm not staring at you. I'm watching the building, and if you'd think with your head instead of that attitude of yours, you'd know it."

"Look, asshole. You're the one doing the standing around and watching."

"That's right, so leave me to it."

"What is the deal with you? Damn, are you still pissed about what I said about Sasha?"

"It has nothing to do with Sasha."

Actually, it had everything to do with Sasha. As much as Sydney got on his nerves, he couldn't help but think of her, mostly because in life, she was everything he had thought an Embraced Sasha would have been. He didn't understand how she could be so free within her human skin. How she could just wander like she had no problems when there were people around her all the time who wanted to kill her. How she could adapt so quickly to a situation that was at best, shitty as hell.

It had taken too long to convince Sasha what she needed. She cringed at the blood he offered her to make the pain go away. She cried at the thought of drinking blood. She wanted freedom, but she didn't want to pay the price for it. Sydney didn't want any of it, but he thought that if she did get it, she wouldn't have been so hard to convince. It was a matter of survival, and Sydney had that instinct. Sasha could only survive if someone did it for her.

"Look," Cash said as he stood up straight, "I won't be here the entire time. It's not my decision to look after you. Personally, I think you can take care of yourself. Julian doesn't think so, and he's my prince. I do what he wants. But, remember, I'm his bodyguard first, and he needs me."

"Oh, I'm sure he's just ecstatic over that."

Cash growled. "I'll be here until about eight, then I've got places to go with Julian. Someone else will be here to take over then. He'll take you right back to the mansion, and then you can have all your time to yourself."

"Good. Because you know what? With you around, I'm starting to hate the Kindred as much as I hate the human race."

Sydney whirled around and stalked off. That man got beneath her skin more than anyone else. It was sad, too, because she thought under any other circumstances, he might not have been that bad. But, considering the fact that he not only drank blood, but he had the detestable taste to fall for her sister, well... the poor guy would just be out of the glory of cruising the streets with Sydney.


	11. Chapter 11

From the moment Cash left Haven, Sydney felt like something was wrong. Sure, he was supposed to leave, and she had another guard, but the entire thing just felt... strange. Of course, that could have had something to do with the fact that her new guard was weird as hell. With pink and red streaked hair and what she could only call torn pantyhose on her arms, Jeff Hardy was not the type that she would put much faith in. He barely looked up most of the night, and then it was just to stare at her.

Of course, he wasn't the only one staring in a completely disgusting and more than a little creepy way. But, where Jeff's eeriness was all in the eyes, Edge's was in the huge grin he passed her way every time he went by the bar. She wasn't sure if he was just a lecherous asshole, or if this was his way of showing that he was pissed off that he was Cash's second, but he didn't get the job. Whichever it was, she was just glad that he didn't get the job and even more glad when he finally left, followed by a trail of Gangrel.

By the time the club had shut down and the patrons had cleared out, Sydney was alone and tired. Morgana had left hours earlier with Cash. Apparently, she was part of the other business that Cash had. Sydney wondered just how much was business, and how much was keep an eye out while Julian did whatever he did with the current woman in his life. She didn't think that Julian was the type to have a guard every single second on a date, but hey... she hadn't seen the guy in years.

"Alright," she said, putting the last glass back down. "I'm ready to jet." She sighed and looked across the room. Jeff didnt' move. His laid on the table, one arm outstretched so his fingers tapped the other end. Sydney groaned. "You awake over there?"

"Yeah."

"Wonderful." She rolled her eyes. "You really are shit at this guard thing, ya know? Somebody could have come through the door and killed me."

"I'd have smelled 'em before a hand touched the glass."

"Uh huh. Why am I not believing that?" She rolled her eyes. Grabbing her jacket, she hopped over the bar. "Look, this is how it's gonna go. I'm going home. You're going to follow me home. And then, you're gonna get as far away from me as humanly possible, because you annoy the absolute hell out of me."

"Uh huh."

Sydney groaned. This guy was seriously getting on her damn nerves. She stomped to the front and checked the locks, then stalked to the back. She was halfway to the rear door when she turned to find that she wasnt' alone, after all. In fact, he was a little too close for comfort. She walked faster, her boots thumping against the floor.

When she got outside, she fired her bike up quicker than she normally would. Usually, she tended to sit a moment, feel the power between her legs. When she had no other plans than to go home, she liked to sit and come up with someplace else, anywhere else that she could be going. Often, she tended to decide the hell with home and just go to wherever she had imagined, or as close to it as she could get. She couldn't exactly take a bike ride to Rio de Janero.

She sat up straight and pushed off. Sydney went roaring down the street. Her helmet blocked some of her view but she could see enough to know that there were bikes coming up on her side. She turned behind her and Hardy was still there. Without a helment, she could see the snarky grin on his face. Obviously, he wasn't about to do anything about it. Even more obviously, Cash hadn't punished nearly enough people.

Sydney pushed to the side, nearly knocking the bike to her left to the ground. She jumped a curb and headed off on the sidewalk. She turned again, and ripped through a line of bushes. They were still following her, though, and she could hear shouting. She didnt' know what they were saying, but her best guess was that it was nothing she wanted to hear.

A bike pulled in front of her and she turned sharp and quick. The helmet was getting in her way, taking away her peripheral vision. She ripped it off and threw it to the side. The rider to the left ducked out of the way and Sydney cursed. A perfectly good toss gone to waste. She swerved, then swerved again to keep from hitting a tree. The path was growing smaller, and there was only so much room for her to manuever. Right about then, she was wishing she'd gone for that Suzuki crotch rocket instead of the larger bike.

Suddenly, Edge was in front of her and she turned to sharply. The bike went to the side and toppled her to the ground. Sydney screamed as she jumped from the bike, seconds before it rolled over her. She came to her feet quickly and whipped her head around. They were moving in on her, and none of them looked like they were trying to find a party, or that they wanted her to go with them.

"Come on, guys..." She reached around to her back and cursed. Her switchblade was gone, probalby on the ground somewhere from the fall. "...you don't wanna do this. Julian..."

"We don't serve that Ventrue prince." Sydney tried to remember the chick's name, and the closest she got was Lila. But, that red hair... it was so outrageously out of a bottle that she would never forget that shade.

"Cash isn't gonna like this."

"Do we really care?" She looked at Jeff Hardy and groaned. Yeah, he was getting farther and farther on her list of great bodyguards. "By the time we're done with you, neither will you."

"Great line, jackoff." Sydney looked around quickly. Her knife was a few feet away. If she could just get to it...

She dove to the side just as Jeff and Matt dove for her. Jeff missed, but Matt landed on her legs. Sydney hit the ground with a thud and came up spitting out dirt. She turned and kicked her legs until she got free. Rolling back over, she scrambled across the ground until she grabbed her knife. She rolled over as Lita jumped on her. Sydney slashed her face on either side and she jumped back.

Sydney jumped back to her feet and was face to face with Edge. "Come on..." She tossed the blade between her hands. "Like I've said before, I'm not Sasha. I don't get taken near as easy."

"I'm not Brujah, so we're even. This definitely isn't a Sasha situation." Edge weaved from side to side. He lunged at her and she swiped, but missed. He moved around her and she whirled. He moved again, and she spun with him. Edge hunched down and slowly, his body blended into a heaping white wolf. He charged at Sydney and knocked her to the ground. Before she could twist in his paws, his fur was gone and his arms held her tightly. He nuzzled his nose in her hair. "No one plans to Embrace you, bitch."

And the others pounced.


	12. Chapter 12

They left Haven to get away from the people. Then, they left the mansion to get away from the solitude. Though they were alone, seated at the top of the Golden Gate Bridge, it was nowhere near as cold as it had been at Julian's mansion. There was too much of a threat around that structure, too many reminders that something bad was coming their way. They had to be prepared, but that didn't mean they had to drown in impending doom.

Morgana leaned against Julian's arm and closed her eyes. It was the first time Julian had taken her there, and with the wind brushing against them, she knew that it was too peaceful for it to be the last. There was something so serene about it, being high above the life of the city, watching people come and go. As late as it was, there were still cars streaming back and forth across the bridge. They all seemed to be in a rush, when what everyone really needed was to just slow down.

"So much space," Julian said softly. He brought one arm around the front of Morgana and lightly stroked her hair. "So much empty space out there."

"Where?" Her words were little more than a murmur.

"Everywhere. So much space for people to roam free, but they don't. Confined by life and their responsibilities."

"We have responsibilities, too, Julian. I thought we were up here escaping them."

"That's exactly my point. No one takes the time to escape them. They dwell on them until they explode. They let them suffocate them until they're little more than drones, moving about their daily tasks."

Morgana sat up slowly and turned to him. "You're not thinking of a world of Kindred... That would be..."

"Insane." Julian laughed lightly. "And no, I'm not. Granted, it would be the end of the Masquerade. In all other areas, we're free, but we're still trapped by the game we have to play with the human world. And yet, as wonderful as that idea might be, there would be nothing but war. Not to mention an end of our food supply. It's one half of a Utopia, Morgana. One that will always be half, because the other doesn't exist."

She lightly stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. "Is that what goes through this beautiful mind of yours?" She turned her hand over and rested her palm near his temple. "Thoughts of Utopia? Where there are no princes or princesses, no Gangrel versus Brujah? A world where every Kindred gets along?"

"Thoughts... sometimes, but definitely not all." His fingers traced the side of her face. He opened his hand to cup her chin. Julian leaned closer to her, his mouth hovering over hers. "I have much more beautiful things, real things, to think about than something that doesn't exist."

"Is that so?" She turned more to him. Her arms encircled his waist. "How beautiful?"

"Absolutely gorgeous." He kissed her, and though they were in one of the most beautiful settings he could imagine, Julian wished they were back home. He wanted to lay her down and covet her body. He wanted to peel every inch of clothes from her and float his hands over her skin. On the bridge, all he could do was lean her back enough to cover the top half of her body and hope to hold them both steady enough so as not to fall.

Morgana put her hand to the back of his neck. To be free of the burdens of leadership, even if for a little while, felt wonderful. As much as their kind talked of freedom, she was fully aware that the only ones truly free were those who did not have to rule. Primogens and city royalty had burdens of their own. The others could roam as they chose, but the top of the hierarchy had to limit their inhibitions. They had to curb their desires enough to see clearly. Seated atop of the city, the only desire they had to curb was to make love right then and there. It had nothing to do with propriety and everything to do with comfort and ease.

Julian pulled back and rose, bringing Morgana up with him. His eyes glowed. Beneath his skin, Morgana could see the blood running slowly through his veins. The two had fed together, picking a particularly amorous teenaged couple from a local makeout point. When the donors awoke, they would think only that they had a wondrous time, and probably do it again. They would never know that it was their blood that would allow Julian and Morgana to hold hands and walk along the beach the next morning.

"We've been out here for hours," Morgana muttered, "and I could stay here for hours more. We could skip going back to the mansion and go straight to the shore. Sleep on the beach, and take that walk you promised me."

Julian sighed and looked down. The walk he could do. A prince was nothing if he didn't keep his promises, and this was one he would enjoy. A night away from home, however... "Morgana..." He sighed again. Before Sydney's arrival, he would have most likely taken her up on her offer. Before Sydney's arrival, he would have, at the very least, gone back to Haven with Morgana and rolled naked in her bed. Now, he didn't want to spend an entire night away.

"Sydney."

"I don't like the idea of her being alone. Not now."

"She's not alone, Julian. Cash will be there. You told him yourself that you might not come back tonight. Only, instead of Haven, we go to the beach."

"I..." He shook his head. "I can't. Tomorrow, we'll walk on the beach with our toes in the sand, but tonight..."

"Tonight, you have to get back to her." Morgana stood up and balanced on the bridge. She rose her arms and slowly lifted into the air. She disappeared into the night, a large black bird with an impressive wingspan and swooped away. The only way Julian knew how to follow her was by the sounds of her wings flapping and the occasional screech in the night.

As Julian felt the wind ruffling his feathers, he got a sudden drop in the pit of his stomach. There was something ominous about the night, two black birds in flight, one chasing furiously after the other. He wasn't much for signs, but this one seemed too harsh to miss. He was glad when they finally hit the ground and retook their forms. His concern had gotten him off balance and more than once, he had almost flown into something.

"Morgana, wait!" Julian called after her as she stalked towards the car that waited in the brush. "Morgana!"

She whirled on him. "I'm being selfish, I know, but it is my nature! Not as Toreador or Kindred, but as a woman! Do you understand that at times, no matter how selfless we try to be, we all want attention of our own! I know that she is your family, from your own child, but even now, I look into your eyes, and I see your concern for her. I look at you and know that I am not the only thing in your mind, and after all that time watching you with Lillie, then that human woman, that hurts! Yes, this cold heart that only occasionally beats can still hurt!"

"Morgana..." He took three steps towards her, then faltered. "I wish that I could give you what you want, and before she arrived, I did my best to give it to you. I can't help that I worry. As you say this selfishness is in your nature, so is this worrying in mine. I worry just as much for you as I do for her, if not more at times. I know that you have some within your own clan who would kill you if they didn't know that I would bleed every one of them dry for doing it. Every time you leave my home to go back to Haven, I worry that the next day, you'll have been given your final death and you'll be gone. I love you, Morgana, but I love her as well! She's all I have left of the life I once had."

"And what am I?"

"You..." He continued forward, and this time didn't stop until he was in front of her. He cradled her face in his palm, then leaned down to kiss her lightly. "You are all that I want in the life that I have now."

Morgana's bottom lip trembled as she pushed out a heavy sigh. She rubbed her cheek in his hand, then turned her face in to kiss his palm. She loved him, and had for longer than he would ever know. Since the first time their paths had crossed nearly fifty years before, she had wanted this new Ventrue prince. Now that she had him, she was afraid to lose him. That was why she didn't fight when he looked at another Kindred. She knew that to be with him for eternity was something that would never happen, but she thought that when they broke, they would eventually find their way back to one another. She almost waited for the day they broke up, just so they could come back together a few years later. An eternity of leaving with an eternity of revisits.

She kissed his palm again, then stood up. She turned his hand over and brushed her lips across his knuckles. "Then go home, my prince. Look after your old life."

"And my present one?"

"I'll come with you. And this night, I will stay. You worry enough about her. Tonight, you don't have to worry about me." She put a hand to his face and smiled. "And in the morning, you will keep your promsie. We will walk on the beach, while the sun washes over us, and for a little while, we'll be free again, just as we were tonight."


	13. Chapter 13

The front of the mansion shook as motorcycles zoomed past. Lights blinded Cash as he went running for the door. He was going to beat the living hell out of whoever it was. He knew it had to be Gangrel. Only they would be foolish enough to buzz the prince's home. Only they would be stupid enough to howl with laughter as they shook the mansion's very foundation.

"Here's your human bitch, Luna!"

Cash froze just steps from the door. He didn't recognize the voice over the roaring of the bikes, but the words... If they got Sydney... He shook his entire body, a curse on his lips. Jeff Hardy had better be dead, because if he let someone get ahold of her without a fight, Cash was going to rip every limb from his body.

He surged forward and yanked the door open. Staring out into the night, all he could see was the rear lights of four motorcycles. Looking down, all he could see was pale white flesh. For a moment, he thought it was Sasha. Not that the two women looked that much alike, but seeing Julian's niece on the ground... all he could remember was Sasha lying on the bed, struggling beneath Brujah scum.

After a few seconds, he dropped down and grabbed Sydney, pulling her body up against his knees. He was afraid to touch her neck, to feel for a pulse. Her head rolled to the side and Cash saw two ragged bite marks. His eyes trailed down her body. Her arms were bitten. Her leather pants were in shreds, and between the strips, he could see more bites. They had drained her, but... had it been replaced?

She wasn't moving, which was a bad sign. If she had been Embraced, she would have at least made a noise. Cash gently pressed two fingers to her neck and waited. Her body was growing cold, and had he not felt anything, he would have been sure she was dead. And then, he would be dead, because there was no way that Julian would have forgiven him for this.

A slight bump pushed against his fingers and his hand jerked back. She was alive, but just barely. How long that lasted, and in what form, was up to Cash. His head popped up and he looked around. Where the hell was everyone? This was not a decision that he was supposed to have to make. This was Sydney's decision, one she was adamantly against. However, that had been while she was fully alive. Would her mind have changed knowing that an Embrace was the only way she could survive?

And then there was Julian. He hadn't wanted Sasha to be Embraced, and he didn't want it for Sydney, either. In the end, though, he had agreed to let Cash do it, though he had been too late. But, the circumstances were different. He and Sasha were in love. He and Sydney were barely on speaking terms. There was no excuse for what he could have done other than to save her life... or finish killing her human body, as the case may be.

The wind blew against Cash's skin and he shook his head. He looked down at himself and realized that his jacket was already gone. His hand was poised over his arm, preparing to cut. While he was mulling over the right course of action, his instincts had already made the choice. He couldn't just let her die. She was too young to reach final death.

His nail bit into his skin and he hissed. This all could have been different. For the first time, he found himself cursing the day he met Sasha. She had ruined him for something that he knew could have been an instant attraction. Sydney was so like him, like his clan, that it was sickening. Maybe they wouldn't have constantly fought if it weren't for her. Maybe, if not for Sasha, they wouldn't be in such a horrible struggle when she woke and found herself Kindred. And fight she would. Cash was sure of that. She would eventually understand the why of it, but until then, she would just be angry.

Knowing that didn't stop him from pressing his bleeding arm to his lips. It didn't stop him from parting her lips more. Didn't stop him from stroking her throat to push the blood down. She began to fight, but he held her tight. She struggled a few seconds more, then grabbed his wrist, drinking greedily. "Enough," Cash muttered, starting to pull his arm away. She hold on and he pulled harder.

And, then, he was being thrown across the garden. He landed in a thorny bed of roses. Cash shook his head clear and looked up to see Julian kneeling beside Sydney, holding her shivering body against his chest. Julian looked up to him and growled, "What have you done!"

"She..." He shook again, then stood up. "She was dying!"

"I told you! Not this one! This one was not to be embraced!" His anger made him set her back on the ground. He strode fast over to Cash and grabbed him by the throat. "This one was to live!"

"That's why..." He clawed at the hand around his neck. He gagged and twisted his head. Blood sprang up around Julian's fingers. "That's why I embraced her!" He gripped the fingers and tried to pry them away.

Morgana ran over and grabbed Julian's arm. "Julian, let him go!" She pulled on him. "He can't explain if you don't release him!"

Abruptly, Julian let Cash go and he dropped to the ground. Cash came up sputtering and holding his throat. He rose to his feet and looked past Julian to where Sydney was starting to sit up. "She was going to die. They..." He coughed to clear his throat. "They drained her and dropped her on your doorstep."

"Who? Who would dare!"

"They were Gangrel. I don't' know which one, but I swear, when I find out, I'll kill every one of them." He started to walk forward, but was stopped by Julian. "I couldn't just let her die! It was final death or Embrace! I Embraced!"

"On my own doorstep! You Embrace my blood on my own step! Without any thought, without any discussion..."

"Come on, Julian! You know she wouldn't have made good Ventrue. And, you know that's what you would have done. After losing Sasha to Fiori, you wouldn't have let her die if you were here. You would have Embraced her, and that's what I did. I couldn't just let her die!"

"You said your clan was punished!"

"I punished those who I knew about!"

"And what of this guard? You put a guard on her."

"He's either dead, or he will be." Cash took another step forward. "I made a decision. I had to choose, and I chose her life. I may be your guard, I may be lower than you, but I am still primogen of my clan. I still have a brain and I can make a decision!"

"Julian!" Morgana held onto his arm and pulled until he looked down at her. His eyes glowed and his lips were curled up in a sneer. "Can you say that you wouldn't do the same? Can you say that you would have let her die? She's alive, Julian, and she can tell us who did this to her."

"I know who did this." His head whipped back around to Cash.

Cash growled. His own eyes began to glow. His lip curled up. Both men growled. They started to crouch. Their bodies were already starting to blend into white and gray fur when a scream pierced the night. Both stood up straight and turned. Sydney was on her feet. She stared down at her trembling hands and shredded clothes. She swayed from side to side with weakness. Her eyes focused on the Kindred across from her and her irises were glowing silver. She took a step towards them, stopped, then screamed, "What did you do to me!"


	14. Chapter 14

While screaming raged on within the walls of his home, Julian Luna sat with his head in his hands. This was not how it was supposed to be. Sydney was supposed to stay until it was safe, then go on and live a full and healthy human life. She wasn't supposed to be relegated to a life of bloodletting and hiding. She wasn't supposed to have to play the games of the Masquerade.

He listened to the muffled echoes of Sydney's screams and wondered if it would have been better to let her die. She had been given a life that she never wanted, one that she was adamantly against. Her rage was so strong that it might have been easier for all to just let her die on the steps of the mansion. To just throw San Francisco into a heightened version of the war that he was already set to proclaim.

But, then again... she was still there. She was free now, whether she wanted it or not, and Julian had to wonder if he would have done the same thing. Could he have watched her die? Could he have held her body and felt the last bit of life drain from her without the instant reaction to refill her? Cash said that he had considered all options before Embracing her, but Julian didn't think that he would have been quite so thoughtful.

Yet, the anger was still there. Mixed with the sorrow of the human life lost, he wanted to tear the place apart with his fury. It shouldn't have been done. Kindred law was to not kill humans unless necessary for it endangered the Masquerade. Julian's law was to not Embrace without permission. As unliked as his ruling may have been, it was necessary to keep the Kindred from taking over, to help reinforce his powerbase. He didn't need any clan filling its ranks to rise up against him. Unpopular as the law may have been, it was the right thing to do.

But what was the right thing with Sydney? Was it fair to give her this life she didn't want? After seeing what it did to Alexandra, he had vowed to never Embrace another without them fully understanding what they were doing, without them wanting it. He wouldn't let it happen in his city. But now it had, and selfishness at being able to have this last relative with him for eternity could easily override the anger that she didn't get to live, that the Luna line would not live on in humanity.

"She's not lost, Julian." Morgana knelt in front of him and put her hands on his knees. "She's Gangrel, and as angry as all of you are right now, you know that Gangrel is on your side. You know she won't be turned against you."

Slowly, Julian lowered his hands. His palms were streaked with the blood tears that trailed from his eyes. "He was supposed to protect her, Morgana. I was supposed to protect her."

"And you both did your best. Cash is your bodyguard, and as much as you may not like to here this, your life comes first. He can't be in two places at once, and for the majority of the night, you needed him. You can't go to meetings with Brujah alone, and as your enforcer, Cash must be there."

"Dave is not Eddie Fiori. I wouldn't have needed him."

"Dave may not be Fiori, but the others are still Brujah. If tonight does nothing else, it shows that this war is close. That the warnings we gave did not encompass everyone, did not threaten enough. We have no idea how many others there may have been within the clans, and we could have all been easily taken down."

"One Gangrel primogen would not have been enough. At least Sydney would have been safe."

"Oh, Julian." Morgana pushed herself to her feet and walked to the window. She pressed her hand to the glass as she stared outside. "Do you really think they would have let her or Cash live had you been killed? Do you think any of us will survive when you go?"

"This should not be!" Julian sprung to his feet. Blood still leaked from his glowing eyes. "He had a choice!"

"That's right!" She turned to him with her own bright eyes. "He had a choice, and he made it! Do not fool yourself, Julian. It is the same choice that you would have made. For all of the love and sanctity you have for her human life, you would not have watched her die! You will not bring us all down with your grief! With this insult!"

"This is an insult to us all!" He stormed across the room and stared down at her. "This is an insult to all who show me allegiance. This undermines my power, Cash's power, and in the end, yours because believe me, dear Morgana, the person behind this revolt will not allow you to stay in power."

"And how do you know that I am not like Lillie in that respect? That I will not concede to the victor? That I will not do whatever is necessary to remain Toreador primogen?"

Julian grabbed her wrists and jerked her close to him. His hands slid roughly down her arms and over her shoulders. He let his stroke fall over her breasts until his hand covered her slowly beating heart. He bent his head and licked her neck before raking his teeth over her skin, just over her jugular. "Because I know your heart," he whispered, "and you would not betray me."

Morgana shivered at his touch. She pushed her hands against his chest, sliding them down. "And I know your heart," she said, hovering over his heart. She turned her face up to kiss him, then pushed him back far enough to stare up into his face. "So do not tell me that you would have let her die, because as much as I know that I lie within this muscle, so does she. Your love would not have allowed you to watch her die."

He turned away and dropped his head. "She didn't want this, Morgana. I didn't want this for her."

Morgana walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed her head to his back and sighed. "We don't always get what we want. The both of you... all three of you... will have to deal. And in the midst of all of that, you must stay strong, becasue war is upon us, and no matter how far off we would have liked to put it, that can no longer be done." She stood up and turned him to face her. As she ran her fingers through the blood on his face, she told him, "The time to kill has come, Julian, and all I wonder is who will bleed the Gangrel clan first. You, Cash... or Sydney."


	15. Chapter 15

"I told you not to do this!" Sydney was pretty sure the vase that she hurled at Cash's head was close to priceless... or pricey, as the point of view may have been. She didn't care. In fact, she found a nice amount of satisfaction in the fact that Julian would probably never be able to replace it. "I told you all I didn't want this!"

"Would you rather die?" Cash dropped flat to the floor as yet another vase came his way. At best guess, he would say that he had been ducking expensive objects for the better part of half an hour. Julian was the lucky one. He didn't have to feel her rage when she was the most angry. He could hide out. But, Cash had to stay with her. He was her primogen now, and more importantly, her sire. With the newly Embraced, that was a little bit more important than being her prince.

"You should have given me better guards!" She reached for something to throw, but there was nothing there. Her head turned up and she screamed, which turned quickly into a howl. With wide eyes, she clasped both hands over her mouth. Her head turned abruptly to Cash and slowly her hands dropped. "Did you hear that? Do you see what you've done! You've turned me into a monster!"

"You are not a monster! That was..." He stood up and shook himself. "That was your anger with nowhere else to go. It went into the wolf inside of you."

"But, I don't want to be a wolf! I don't want to be Kindred! I want to be a regular fucking human chick, and now I'm not because you fucked me over!"

"I did nothing but my job!"

"You let them get me!" She stomped to him, her fists balled at her sides. She could almost feel her eyes starting to glow. It felt like they were burning inside of her head, ready to explode and be replaced with an orange, dancing flame. The balled fist that slammed into Cash's face was so unexpected that it sent him stumbling backwards. "You handed them to me on a silver fucking platter!"

Cash steadied himself. He shook his head, then jerked his jaw to the left. If it were anyone else, he would have said that it was the Embrace that put so much power into the punch, but he had a good idea that Sydney had one hell of a right hook when she was human. His head shot up and his eyes burned on her. "Care to do that again?"

"Most definitely." Sydney rotated her shoulders. She rolled her neck a half turn, then sent it back the other way. "Let's get this done, so I can get out there and find those sons of bitches that did this."

Cash rolled up his sleeves, preparing for a fight. "Tell me who it was. Leave 'em to Julian and me. This is our fight to handle."

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm your sire and he's your prince."

"Yeah, well... I'm their victim, so it's my fight. Just like this one."

She swung, but this time, Cash was prepared. He ducked the punch, then another as he came back up. He had no intention on actually hitting her, but he wasn't going to let her kick his ass, either. Sydney's arms and legs moved so fast that if Cash weren't Kindred, there would have been no way he could dodge or block the blows. She had obviously had more training than he had been informed about.

Her right leg came up and Cash caught it at his side. He jerked her close. She brought her left arm around for a ridgehand strike at his neck and he caught that, too. Swiftly, he swept her legs out from under her and took her to the floor. Cash held her down by the neck, hard enough to show his dominance, but loose enough to not hurt her and give her room to speak.

"Who did it?"

"I'll take care of them myself," she croaked, trying to pry his hand from around his throat. "They're all dead!"

"Who!"

He squeezed a little harder and Sydney cried out, not in pain, but in frustration. She wanted to tear the place down and leave everyone to lurk in the rubble that had become her life in a matter of moments. She knew they had already had their Embrace, already lost their human life, but she could take something away from them. They could not go on as if nothing had happened when her life was forever changed.

Her body wasn't her own. Her skin didn't hold her, it didn't feel like it really belonged to her. It was strange, as though she could just float out of it and watch the skin move on, while she did other things. She wondered if this was what they meant by being free. No bonds, no chains, no restraints. She could do whatever she wanted. She could dance in the rain and howl at the moon if she wanted. Problem was... she didn't want to.

She wanted restrictions on her being. She wanted a place she couldn't go. Her mortality was her salvation. The reason she didn't do the most ridiculous things imaginable was because she knew that she could die. What was there to stop her now? She rode bikes fast, she went bungee jumping, she even thought about skydiving... but mortality stopped her from going farther.

People weren't supposed to be able to kill their enemies. They could wish their deaths, but in the end, it was up to the law to punish them. She had wished for the deaths of many over the years, but law stopped her. The death penalty stopped her. What was to stop her now? What was going to keep her from being a cold-blooded monster? The only law that resided over her was Kindred law, Julian's law, and the blood that would be on her hands before it was all said and done was justified under both laws.

"Edge!" Sydney shouted. "Edge, and that guard you gave me and that brother of his and that redheaded bitch... They did this to me! They made you do this to me!"

Cash moved so quickly it was like he was pulled up by strings. He stared down at her. "Edge..."

She crabwalked backwards a few steps, then pulled herself to her feet. Her hand went to her neck and she groaned. "They're part of something, and it's big. It's to take down you and Julian and they wanted to use me to do it. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I am not Sasha! I will not be used and just... let it happen! You and Julian won't get to them fast enough because I'll kill them myself!"

She started to move past him, but Cash caught her by the arms. "You're not going anywhere."

"What are you doing?"

"You can't just go outside. Yeah, we can walk around in the day, but not without feeding first. By the time the sun's fully up, you'll feel like you're dying, and it'll be only a matter of time before you go up in flames."

"I am not..." She shook her head. "Dude, that's how you get AIDS. You can't just drink from people!"

"We can't get disease. It's part of our freedom. We don't have the worries of humans. You don't have them."

"I wanted them. I liked them!" She struggled in his grasp. "I didn't want this!"

"Too bad!" He shoved her back. "You didn't want it, but dammit, you've got it! It's this or death, and if you say you'd have rather died, then you're a liar. You get your life and we all get revenge!"

"I get revenge! You get nothing!"

Cash took two steps and closed the distance between them. He stared into her defiant eyes and knew that she would get outside anyway she could. She was too angry to think straight. There were still so many things she needed to learn about her new life that he couldn't afford to have her running loose through the city.

Wordlessly, he reared back and struck out. Sydney fell to the floor before she even had the time to curse him or blink. Cash looked down at her, watched as the bruise quickly grew then faded on her eyes, then sighed. "Sorry, Sydney, but this isn't your battle, anymore. It's ours, and we will handle it our way."


	16. Chapter 16

"You stupid son of a bitch!" Edge went flying across the room within seconds of the words's utterance. "Do you realize what you've done? You've brought war when this could have been an easy overthrow!"

Hunter Hearst Helmsley stalked across the floor with an evil glare. It was only those who followed him in Brujah and Gangrel that thought this would come down to a war. They would fight until there was only one side standing. Hunter was of a different mind. It all came down to taking out the primogens. Batista might have been able to be saved. Hunter knew he had no desire to be prince, and his loyalty to the prince was timid at best. But the others... Daedalus would lead the Nosferatu against him, and Cash would revolt with his Gangrels. Morgana wasn't like Lillie, and in the end, she would stand up to be princess before she let a traitor to her prince rule the city.

If he could get rid of them, then he there was no one else to rule the city. Hunter saw no reason that Archon's enforcer should now be in control. Sure, he fought against wars that endangered the Masquerade, but he was weak. He was too lenient and didn't know how to enforce his power. Though it would have thinned his ranks, Hunter felt that a true prince would have killed all traitors. Were he in charge, he would have personally killed them all.

And now, because of these idiots, the main weakness he planned to play on, Julian's softness towards humans, could be their downfall. Any other human wouldn't have been so bad, but his niece? The last of his line? That could bring only bloodshed, and Luna was going to be on the hunt. Hunter knew that he would go through every Kindred he could get his hands on until he found the perpetrators. And these Gangrel were too stupid. They would spill their guts and then they would all be destroyed.

"This was all to get rid of Cash!" Edge scurried backwards on his hands. "And Luna!" He pushed himself to his feet. "They'll destroy each other! Luna will blame Cash for not watching her and they'll fight. Neither will survive!"

"They know who was supposed to watch her! They'll come after him, and from him, they'll link you. Are you a complete imbecile?"

"How will they know, huh? We just hide Jeff out until the final battle. They'll think he was killed by whoever killed the girl."

Trish Stratus walked forward, her hands on her hips. She held all of the beauty of the Toreador clan and its creativity within her singer's voice. She stepped up next to Hunter and lightly pressed her hand against his back. She looked at Edge with the same ferocity of her would-be prince. Her designs were toward primogen, and she was not about to let this idiot ruin her chances.

"The girl isn't dead." Trish reached up and stroked Hunter's arm. "Word is coming out of Julian's compound. Cash was there when the girl was dumped, and he Embraced her. She is now Gangrel, and your primogen has declared the deaths of those involved."

"Has she..." Edge gulped. "Has she talked?"

"Of course, she's talked, you imbecile!" Trish released Hunter stepped up to Edge. She slashed out and ripped his right cheek open. "We know because Cash has put all of his Gangrel out to find the four of you, and if they find you here, we're all done for. Morgana will have my head on a platter because you're too stupid to go to your prince before you make a decision!"

"We had the opportunity and we took it!" Edge stood tall and let the blood leak from his face. Jeff, Matt and Lita stood behind him. They were afraid, but did their best not to show their fear. "You want to wait because we have an eternity, but that doesn't mean we should. We'll only take this city with a fight."

"We are trusted!" Hunter shouted. "Only a few in this room felt the wrath, and they took their pain with stoic eyes because they had faith in me as their true prince. Even those that were scared into submission by the punishments had enough sense not to talk. All we had to do was plan it out, and you ruined everything!"

"You know just like we do that Luna didn't want her to be Kindred. He and Cash may be on the warpath now, but they'll still destroy each other before this is over. They're pissed off!"

"Yes! At you!" Hunter's arm moved and in a flash, he had Edge around the throat. "Luna will destroy this entire city to get to you, and so will Cash. And they'll know that you're not smart enough to be the one behind this whole plot. I didn't want war, I wanted civil unrest! I wanted to prove that Luna couldn't hold the city!"

"You have," Edge croaked out, trying to pry the fingers away. "We've done that for you."

"How? By sending him on a hunt? By showing the other clans that the beast really does still lie within their prince?"

"Nosferatu won't fight in a clan war." Matt stepped forward. He didn't touch Edge, but he moved close enough for eyes to turn on him. "They can't win without a clan war if we kill their leaders first."

Matt's boldness made Lita speak up. "They're distracted," she said. "They have a new Kindred to care for. If they're so focused on her that they can't stop other things, the clans will turn against them."

Trish struck out her. "Stupid, bitch! You think Luna got to be prince by not knowing how to do two things at once? You think he became the head of the San Francisco underworld by being simple-minded?" She reached out and grabbed her by the hair. "If we can't control this, you've doomed us all! The hell with being primogen! We'll only be dead!"

A slow grin started to spread across Hunter's lips. His grip around Edge's throat tightened. He turned towards Trish and gave a low chuckle. "But, we might be able to control this." His fingernails grew into sharp claws and Edge's blood welled around his fingers. "Luna wants the blood of those that hurt his niece, we'll give him their blood."

"And then..." Trish smirked. "...we will be the prized. We'll be the trusted."

"And we can leave Luna and Cash to tear each other apart."

"And Morgana? She won't let them destroy each other. She knows that without Julian, her reign is over." Trish shrugged. "Not that she was a bad primogen. I would just rather have her job."

"She won't be there all the time," Hunter told her. "It's going to be the downfall of her decision not to move onto Luna's compound. She can't be there all the time."

"Daedalus?"

"He lives in the dark. We'll destroy him in the dark."

Satisfied that there was enough of a plan, Trish turned her shining eyes on Lita. With a howl, she bent forward and bit into the redhead's neck. Hunter echoed her howl as he ripped Edge's throat out. The rest of their traitorous clans swooped in and took out Matt and Jeff. They would leave the bodies on Luna's doorstep, lead him to believe that they were behind him. They could honestly say that Luna's insult was theirs as well, but for wholly other reasons. And while they pretended to show their loyalty, they could just sit back and wait for their two biggest threats to destroy one another.

Or at least they could have... If Stacy Keibler weren't lurking just behind the cracked door.


	17. Chapter 17

"Daedalus!"

Stacy nearly tripped over her own feet as she ran through the catacombs beneath Julian's compound. Though the immediate danger was obviously to the prince, she knew that he was alright at least until those Gangrel were dead and dropped at his doorstep. Daedalus, on the other hand... He was Nosferatu, more dangerous in the eyes of many, so they could have gone after him first.

"Daedalus!"

She kicked her shoes off and kept running. She didn't even know if Julian would believe her. Hunter was her sire. Would it be easy for him to believe that she would turn on him? She was of his clan and worked at his paper, but with the suspicions rapidly growing over the loyalty of the clans, she didn't think that he would take her word at face value. But Daedalus... He knew her. He knew her heart, and he knew where her loyalty lied. He knew that she was a good person in her soul, and he would believe her.

"Dammit, Daedalus, where are you!"

She rounded a corner and nearly collided with him. His eyes were wide with confusion and concern. He held her arms tightly and she tried to let it all spill out, but the words caught in her throat. She was loyal to the prince, she was loyal to Daedalus, but as she tried to betray her sire, she found it harder to do than she thought it would be.

"Stacy..." Daedalus spoke calmly to her as her body shook. Her cheeks were streaked with blood tears. "What's wrong? I'm here. You have found me, now tell me what the problem is."

"It's... This war... They're not going to start a war."

"What are you talking about? Who isn't going to start a war?"

"Hunter!" She jerked her arms from his grasp only to grab his arms tightly. Her nails dug into his sleeves. "He's going to make them kill each other! He's going to... He..." Her bottom lip trembled. Stacy lowered her head and whimpered. "He's... He's my sire, Daedalus, but... he's wrong. He's so wrong. He's my sire, but Julian is my prince."

Stacy knew that she was trying to convince herself that she was right. Julian was her prince, he was her clansman, but Hunter was her sire. It was his blood that had refilled her and made her Kindred. He had taught her how to survive in the Masquerade, and for a while, he had loved her... or at least pretended to. Now, he was doing something that was so disgusting, so revolting...

And yet, she wondered if part of her was upset that he hadn't included her in his plans. Had he not trusted her enough to tell her? She wanted to believe that he had just wanted to keep her safe. He didn't want to involve her in the dirtier parts, but when he took over, he would remember that he was the one that Embraced her, and that was supposed to be a special kind of bond. However, she couldn't escape the feeling that he would have just as easily killed her to make his transition easier as he had killed Edge. And she knew that when he found out that he had betrayed her, he would come for her head.

"I don't know what to do... what to say..." She stepped back and turned away from Daedalus. Her head hung low and her tears fell in red droplets to the floor. She ran her hands through her hair, gripping her scalp tightly before letting her arms fall. "They're going to kill everyone. They said... they said they would let Julian and Cash kill each other and then Trish would kill Morgana and then..."

She turned to Daedalus and raised her eyes to him. In her heart, she knew that it was the threat against him that had sent her running from the door. He was her best friend. He was the one Kindred that didn't look down on her for the exuberance that the Ventrue blood had been unable to completely wash from her. He took her seriously and he paid attention to her. He cared, and she couldn't let him die without doing something.

"They said they're coming back for you. They can't take the city with you still here and I... I love Hunter. He Embraced me and took me away from the crappy life that I was stuck in, but... I couldn't let him kill you, Daedalus. I couldn't let him do it!"

He walked to her slowly, taking care not to upset her anymore. As her eyes leaked crimson rivers, Daedalus pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. Of all the women over the years that had made his heart ache, Stacy was the only one he could actually comfort. So many others feared him or were disgusted by him, but Stacy came to him with her tears. He came to him to be held and comforted... and to be reaffirmed of life.

Lightly, he rubbed the top of her head, uncaring that his shirt was being stained with blood. It didn't matter that the two were only friends. He didn't care that she would eventually go off and make an eternity, or at least a portion of it, with some attractive Ventrue or Toreador. At the moment, he was the one for her. He was the one there for her.

"You have to tell Julian."

"No!" She pushed away from him, shaking her head. "He... he won't believe me. He won't believe that I didn't know until now. He... He's probably worse than he was when Sasha was Embraced and he'll take it out on me. Kill the messenger. Daedalus..."

"Julian trusts me, Stacy. He trusts that I am his friend, and that I won't lie to him. He trusts in my judgment, and I trust you." He lightly touched her chest. "Your heart is good, Stacy. You would not have kept something like this a secret, and that is why your sire did not include you in his plans."

"But..."

"He knew that you wouldn't be able to watch this happen. You want to be faithful to your sire, but you have made an oath to your prince. You love Hunter, but you revere Julian."

"I..." Stacy didn't know what to say. She turned her face away. "Sydney was going to be killed. They didn't expect Cash to Embrace her. Now... they think if they deliver the heads of the guilty, it'll put them in Julian's good graces. That he'll trust them. Hunter wants to be prince, and Trish wants to be primogen. Everyone of the conclave but Dave Batista is in danger."

"Is this because he is part of the plan?"

"No. It's because they know he doesn't care about being prince. He's Brujah. One Ventrue prince is like any other as far as they're concerned."

"And these four... those that drained Sydney. Are they dead yet?"

"They were killing them when I ran."

"Then we must inform Julian before they arrive at his door. I know Hunter. He won't rush this. He will wait until the official word to come before bringing his prize. We have to tell Julian before this plan can be put into action."

Stacy looked up at Daedalus and sighed. He was so calm, so steady about it all. She was a bigger wreck than she had been when first Embraced. Her entire body shook and she couldn't stop the tears from falling. Yet, Daedalus was a rock. "Will you come with me?" Stacy wiped her face. "He'll be mad and he'll scream and... I would have said something if I'd have known, Daedalus. I wouldn't have let it go this far."

"I know, and Julian will, as well. I will go with you and we will tell him together."

Stacy wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face to his chest. "Thank you," she whispered, leaning against him. He hugged her and again she said, "Thank you." She didn't know what else there was to say.


	18. Chapter 18

Morgana stepped away from Julian and sighed. As she stood in the middle of the room, she said, "They had one part right. The two of you would have torn one another apart."

Julian sat in a large leather chair, his arms draped over the side. Cash was on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. The two stared at each other, glaring. The animal laid just beneath the skin and it wouldn't take much to set them off again. They had just barely been separated when Sydney wandered downstairs holding her jaw, moments before Daedalus had brought Stacy upstairs.

The leggy Ventrue stood off to the side, hiding somewhat behind Daedalus. The fact that they'd been fighting when she walked into the room had given all the more reason for her fear. That anger could have easily turned on her, and probably would have if Daedalus weren't there to protect her.

The Brujah primogen watched it all with an amused stare. Chyna stood at his back, one hand on his shoulder. They didn't really care what happened. One Ventrue prince was just like any other as far as they were concerned. As long as the person in charge did their job and left his clan alone, Dave was satisfied. However, he did take offense that he was so easily brushed aside as unobtrusive when this little plot was hatched. If anything, his pride was hurt by the ignorance.

"We might still tear into each other," Cash said with a grunt. He shifted to the other side.

"Perhaps I should turn to another clan for protection," Julian said, sitting up straight in his seat.

Cash barked a rough laugh. "Who else are you gonna trust to watch your back? Brujah? Not fuckin' likely." His eyes flashed with contempt towards Dave and Chyna. "You can't trust a Brujah has far as you can throw one."

"Apparently, I can't trust a Gangrel very far, either."

"This from the man who's own clan is trying to take over."

Julian started to rise. Cash pushed himself off the wall. Morgana moved to take a stance between them, but Sydney beat her to the punch. "Would the two of you stop, already? Damn!" She groaned and ran her hands through her hair. This entire situation was getting on her last nerve. They acted like they were the ones hurt in all of this. Sure, they're pride might have been damaged, but she was the one that had been violated.

Sydney knew she wasn't going to be able to survive between the two of them unless she could get them to stop fighting. Despite her adamant affirmations that she didn't want to be Kindred, she knew that she was stuck with it. There was no turning back, so she had to make the best of it. Of course, to make the best of it, she would have to learn something and there was on way in hell either of them would be able to teach her a damned thing if they didn't stop fighting.

Beyond that, she was toast if they killed each other. Hell, even if they just wounded each other, she was screwed. Those in charge had no intention of Embracing her and they would rectify the situation as soon as they could. This Helmsley guy seemed to be completely about his business, and the first order would be to get rid of her.

"Neither one of you are happy with this," she said, "but it's too damn bad. Believe me, neither of you are as pissed off as I am. And honestly, I'm more pissed that they killed those fuckers before I could get my hands on 'em."

Julian was quiet as he looked around the room. Archon had called him the Prince of Peace so many times that it had obviously made everyone else forget that there was still a beast lying beneath the surface of Ventrue gentility. Julian had thought that he could keep the clans together by keeping the peace, but all he had accomplished was to be taken for granted. It was time for them to learn that he was a forceful prince, as well as a kind one. When pushed, he would push back hard. San Francisco was his city, and he was not about to let the dregs of his species take it from him.

Slowly, he turned his eyes to the primogens. "Talk to Stacy and get the names within your clans. I want them dead before the sun rises." He looked to Morgana. "Hunter and Trish will probalby bring the bodies together, more than likely, around the crack of dawn. I want you here with me when they arrive."

"Final death?"

He nodded. "I am the prince of this city, and it's about time that others realized it. I will not fight off traitors with delusions of grandeur at every turn. I have asked for respect in the past, and now, I will demand it." Across the room, Ric Flair had watched silently. Julian knew that he had been pushing for him to be stronger, and he was finally getting his wish. "I will leave the Ventrue scum to you, Ric."

"You should have done this all along," Dave said as he stood up, straightening his jacket. "The Brujah traitors will be dead within the hour." He looked behind him to Chyna for a second, then turned back to Julian. "And the dead? We can disappear most of the bodies without a problem, but when Trish and Hunter die, we can't hide that. They're both too high profile."

"I'll handle it."

Cash grunted. "Kohanek, again?"

"The only place Frank has in this is when I tell him that there will be no war. We are keeping our business out of the streets." He paused for a moment, then looked at Ric. "Call Sonny. Tell him I want him here for this tonight. Everyone is aware of the connections between myself, Hunter and Trish. Combine that with his partner's previous obsession with putting me in jail, we can work their deaths in a somewhat legal fashion."

"Julian..." Daedalus stepped forward. Stacy still held onto his arm. "The human media will devour this. Can we afford them to put their noses into our business?"

"I'll take care of the human media. We know that at least one paper in this town will be very biased in my direction." Julian stepped to the side and lightly touched Stacy's arm. She jumped. Julian calmly rubbed her arm and coaxed her out from behind Daedalus. "Your loyalty will not go unrewarded, Stacy."

"I..." She gulped hard. "I feel that I've done something wrong, yet... I know I did the right thing. Does that make much sense?"

Julian nodded. "Hunter is your sire, and you have a bond with him. But, you respect your prince, and you value your life as well as those of your friends." He looked at Daedalus with the last for just a second, then went back to Stacy. "Thank you for coming forward. I know that you've never been a fighter when war was upon us, but have faith in the knowledge that you could quite possibly be the person who truly saved this city."

He stepped back from her, his arm still outstretched, hand sliding down her arm. Stacy shakily stood up and looked at him. As he moved back farther, she took a light hold of his hand and lowered her head. Her lips brushed across his knuckles. "My allegiance is to my prince," she whispered, then kissed his hand again.

When Julian turned, the others were there, ready to acknowledge his command. Morgana was the first in line. Her lips grazed his knuckles, then she pressed her forehead to his hand. She moved slowly to his right and wrapped her arm around his waist. Daedalus took the hand and pressed his forehead against it. Begrudgingly, Chyna and Dave kissed their prince's hand. Ric imitated Daedalus's show of respect. Cash kissed his hand, but the eyes that rose to him were still angry. Julian gave him the same eyes. They were both angry, but that didn't matter at the moment. All that mattered was the city's survival.

Sydney was the last to take Julian's hand. He was her patriarch in human life and Kindred. He was her prince. However, that didn't mean that she was thrilled with the idea of kissing his hand. She had lived so long without acknowledging anyone's authority that it just seemed wrong to be doing it now when she lingered somewhere between life and death. And yet, she knew it must be done.

Her head bent and she kissed his knuckles. Julian pulled her to him and she stopped at his left side. With an arm each around Morgana and Sydney, he looked out around the room. "Destroy those who threaten this city, and do not come back here until your jobs are done."


	19. Chapter 19

"Here they are." Parked in front of the large marble steps that led up to the front door of the mansion, Hunter and Trish opened the trunk of the car. The lids popped open open and four trash bags laid inside.

Julian descended the stairs, his hands folded behind his back. Sonny stood behind him. Ric stood to his left. Julian found it hard to control his anger. These people who had once been welcomed into his home, had been his guests on my occasions, had turned their backs on him, plotted his demise. They looked up at him with grins of pride and eyes of innocence. They had fooled him, and he would not let them do it again.

"Very good." He looked up at the sky. The sun was starting to rise. All who stood outside were well fed. Keeping Sydney inside had been a problem. She wanted to run out and kill them herself, but Julian couldn't let that happen. Not only would it ruin their plans, but she was too close to her first feeding. The only blood she had tasted was that of Kindred, and she would soon need something more. Should something go wrong, her need would become a hindrance, and the wrong Kindred might have ended up dead.

Trish stepped around the side of the car and approached Julian. There was the slightest hint of hesitation as she took his hand and pressed her lips to his knuckles. Her pause was small, but Julian noticed it, possibly because he knew her true thoughts. "Traitorous Gangrel scum," she muttered as she stepped back. "They make Kindred look like savage beasts. They disgrace us all."

"Their deaths are just," Hunter said. He stayed back, not moving forward to kiss the prince's hand. "They have been taken care of, and I can but hope that the true villain will be punished."

"Truly, a primogen should better be able to control his clan," Trish said.

"And a prince, his city?" Julian's lip turned up into a sneer, then quickly fell until his mouth was a thin, straight line. "Prince and primogen should both be strong. And treason should be punished to the furthest extent of Kindred law."

Hunter looked at him curiously. He didn't know where Julian was going with this, but he didn't think it was where he wanted him to go. He stepped back, taking Trish by the arm. He pulled her with him until they were on the other side of the car. "Sonny," he said, looking past Julian, "are you here to explain these deaths?"

"Maybe." He moved a little closer to Julian. "Or maybe some others. A cop is always useful as hell."

A thud behind them turned Trish and Hunter around. The primogens of Toreador, Gangrel and Brujah stood behind them. Each in turn dropped a plastic garbage bag to the ground. Morgana stepped forward and kicked her bag. "Here are the heads of your traitors." Her eyes burned on Trish. It was all she could do not to rip the woman's throat out right there.

"What do you mean, our traitors?" Hunter tried to remain calm. "We are the ones who brought the bodies of the Gangrel trash that tried to take the prince's human. If anyone here is traitor, it's the one who left these people in charge."

"The traitor," Cash said with a sneer as he approached them, "is the one who thought he could take control of this city." A low growl tore out of his throat. "The one who convinced those idiots in the trunk that they could ever overpower their primogen."

Julian appeared in front of them almost magically. He reached out and instantly had Hunter by the throat. The others were closing in around them, but Julian's attention was on the neck in his hand. "You think to destroy me? To destroy what I have built in this city? To destroy those that I love?" His eyes glowed bright yellow and his face wafted in and out between man and wolf. His fingers dug in deeply. "The only one here who will be destroyed is you!"

In an instant, Hunter shifted into wolf. Seconds later, so did Trish. Hunter clawed himself away from Julian's grasp, then took off across the pavement. A few feet away, he and Trish came to their feet as man and woman, both with Dragon's Breath in their hands. The barrels exploded and phospherous shells flew across the open space. As the others dove to the ground, their own guns came out.

Morgana scurried over towards Julian. Cash, Dave, Ric and Sonny pulled out their guns and started to fire. At the sound of gunfire, Sydney came running to the door. She bolted down the stairs, then stopped about halfway down as her body started to shake. The sun was higher and yet, her skin was colder. Her stomach churned. Julian looked up and saw her. He took off towards her as a phospherous shot just barely missed her head.

From the entrance gates, a new voice was added into the mix. Frank's early arrival was only going to cause more of a dilemma. He would have to be erased again, because there was no way that he would trust his partner again after learning that he was Kindred. His footfalls were heavy as he ran towards the sound of gunfire. He skidded to a halt as he saw Sonny running towards Julian, firing along the way.

Morgana's scream pierced the night, louder than the blazing gunfire. "Julian!" She ran towards him, but Sonny would get their first. The two went to the ground, but still, Morgana ran. She dropped down beside them and rolled Sonny to the side. There was a smoking hole going through the center of his body. The world didn't hold enough blood to make him whole again. Julian was singed, but still alive. He sat up painfully and Morgana ripped his shirt open, determined to make sure that he was alright. His skin was red and tender from the heat, but there were no holes.

With a roar, she whirled around. She ran across the ground on all fours until her entire body was covered in fur. She jumped at Trish. The blonde went down beneath her paws. Before her head hit the ground, Morgana's teeth were in her throat, ripping the skin. Her fur was mottled with blood, but she didn't care. Nothing would stop her until she was sure that this traitorous bitch would stay down for good.

Hunter stopped his firing and stared down as his lover was devoured by her primogen. In his moment of pause, the others swarmed on him. Any one of them would have killed him had Julian not stood up and yelled, "No!" Slowly, the others turned towards him, though they still held Hunter in place. Julian stumbled forward, holding his stomach. His eyes passed sorrowfully over Sonny, then turned back to the traitor before him. "Bring him to me."

As Hunter was brought forward, Julian felt a breeze behind him. He turned to see Frank rushing over to his partner. Right then was not the moment to explain things. That was the moment to finish business. Hunter was dragged before him and dropped to the ground. "Julian..."

"You have betrayed your clan, and plotted the death of your prince. For this, the sentence is final death."

"Julian..."

"Judge," he muttered, "jury, and executioner." He put his hand out and Daedalus appeared beside him, wielding a large silver blade. Julian's hand wrapped around the handle. He rose his arm and brought it down diagonally across Hunter's chest. Before he could fall, Julian plunged the knife into his heart. He twisted, then jerked it out.

Hunter dropped to his knees, his eyes wide. Slowly, he began to fall forward. His body shuddered, then he fell to his face. Julian's body slumped and Morgana was there for him to lean on. He turned behind him. Frank was still leaning over Sonny's body. "I'm sorry, Frank."

He looked up then jumped to his feet. "You killed him!"

"They killed him. He was Kindred. He was my blood."

"He was..." He looked down at him as though it was just dawning on him. "All the time... he knew..."

"Sonny knew you wouldn't have been able to handle it. He was your friend, and I'm sorry, but I was his sire, and it means more to me than you know."

"He was a cop!" He turned back to Julian. "You cover up the mess that your people cause. How do you cover this up?"

"As you said, he was a cop." Sighing, he turned back to the others. To Dave, he said, "Put them in the car. Drive them out of the city and incinerate the car." He turned to Cash. "Take Sydney and teach her. She must learn to feed or her it will torture her." To Ric, he said, "Take the bodies from the trunk and bury them with the heads." Once more he looked at Frank. "Kindred business is for us to deal with, and we'll do it our way."

Daedalus stepped forward. Softly, he said, "I will tell Stacy that it is done and safe for her to go home."

"Good." Julian nodded. "Her job in the morning is to put the spin on this. Tomorrow, we will see just how suited she is for the job that has been given us." He slumped more, then brought himself back to his feet. He leaned his head to the side and pressed it against Morgana. "Now," he said to her, "we will go upstairs and tomorrow, we will take that walk on the beach. Because I am prince, and I keep my promises."

Morgana lifted her hand and lightly touched his cheek. "We will walk because I am your Toreador, and you need the moment of dance that only I can give you."


End file.
